The market for battery storage systems is growing at pace, with experts predicting Germany’s installed storage capacity to reach as much as 8.6 gigawatt hours (GWh) by 2026. RheinEnergie and SMA Altenso are joining forces with the aim of gaining a foothold in this segment and rapidly expanding storage infrastructure. By entering into a strategic partnership, the Cologne-based power supply and service company and the international system integrators from Kassel/Niestetal are looking to realize projects with a total output of several hundred megawatts (MW). The partners’ first joint project is a large-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) with a usable capacity of 64 MWh and output of 24.5 MW that is set to be built in Einbeck, Lower Saxony, over the coming months.
Burkhard Söhngen, Managing Director at Altenso, stated that the company operates as a holistic solution provider, specializing in integrating complex energy systems. He highlighted Altenso’s successful track record in delivering system solutions for battery energy storage system (BESS) projects worldwide, with a total output exceeding 1.5 GW. The partnership with RheinEnergie will enable Altenso to gain an experienced ally to support Germany’s renewable energy supply. Söhngen expressed confidence that SMA’s proven technology will facilitate the efficient integration of renewable energy into the utility grid, enhancing system stability and contributing to a sustainable energy future.
Stephan Segbers, Chief Operating Officer at RheinEnergie, stated that the company is expanding into the rapidly growing field of battery storage marketing. He highlighted the successful operation of a battery storage system in Lärz and Rechlin, home to their largest PV farm, since summer 2024. Segbers expressed confidence that early entry into this sector would provide a competitive edge and noted that partnering with SMA Altenso, a leading system integrator with extensive renewable energy expertise, would strengthen their position.
Operational management lies with RheinEnergie Trading
The partnership between Altenso and RheinEnergie will center on the joint development and implementation of BESS projects throughout Germany—in combination with both existing and newly planned wind farms or PV systems (co-locations) as well as dedicated locations close to electrical substations. To ensure efficient collaboration and scalable implementation, the partners have defined clear roles for project development, implementation and operation that can be flexibly applied to other projects as well. Altenso, a wholly owned subsidiary of SMA Solar Technology AG (SMA), is heading up the development, construction and maintenance of the large-scale battery storage systems as a technology partner and holistic solution provider in the field of renewable energies. RheinEnergie Trading, RheinEnergie’s trading subsidiary, will take on the operational management of the battery storage systems.
Construction underway on first project in Lower Saxony
The partners’ first joint BESS project will be built in the coming months on a 3,000 square meter plot at the industrial park in Einbeck, a municipality in the district of Northeim in Lower Saxony. Construction work on the large-scale battery storage system with a usable capacity of 64 MWh and 24.5 MW output is already underway and is slated for completion in early 2026.
