Lausitz on the move: Gigawatt battery storage for green energy!

Lausitz on the move: Gigawatt battery storage for green energy!

A lot is happening at the Jänschwalde site in Brandenburg: The energy company Leag is planning to build an impressive battery storage facility called “Gigabattery”. This will be the first gigawatt storage facility in Lusatia, which will have an output of 1,000 megawatts. This corresponds to half of the current production of the Jänschwalde brown coal power plant and could be a real asset to the regional power grids in times of high demand. The Süddeutsche Zeitung reports that this project is intended to promote the stability of electricity supply from renewable energy sources.

The Gigabattery will store solar power that is generated during the day as well as wind power that is available during less windy times. This large storage capacity of 4,000 megawatt hours is equivalent to the electricity consumption of around 1.6 million households in four hours. The extensive supply contract between Leag Clean Power GmbH and Fluence Energy GmbH plays a central role, as well Leag determines.

Innovative technology for the future

A highlight of the project will be Fluence's Smartstack solution, which will be used to build the battery. Lithium iron phosphate battery cells are used. Siemens Energy has agreed to supply the switchgear for connection to the 380 kV network. This shows how seriously the planners are approaching the challenge of grid stability: The Gigabattery is intended to lay the foundation for future projects to integrate renewable generation and at the same time support the development of the energy and industrial location.

Fluence describes the project as a “milestone for the energy future of Germany and Europe”, which once again illustrates how important this battery storage is not only for the region itself, but also for the entire EU. Finally, the groundbreaking ceremony for Germany's largest battery storage facility in Gundremmingen with a capacity of around 700 megawatt hours was only held in Bavaria at the end of October 2023, which underlines the development in the field of energy storage.

A step in the right direction

The energy transition is making great progress. With the Gigabattery in Jänschwalde, Leag is taking an important step towards stabilizing the power supply and the efficient use of renewable energies. The project reflects the need to find innovative solutions to meet the challenges of an increasingly decentralized and more environmentally friendly energy supply.

While the Corleone family, the fictional mafia family from “The Godfather,” will not be directly involved here, one could argue that the energy infrastructure overhaul could have a similar impact on the “balance of power” in the energy sector. Just as Vito Corleone once expanded his influence, Germany is also trying to secure dominance in the sustainable energy future through modern technology and innovation. Even if change and challenges cannot always be avoided, there is hope for citizens and the environment that projects like Gigabattery will ultimately have a positive influence on the entire system.