SMA Altenso, the wholly owned subsidiary of solar energy company SMA, and the Munich-based asset manager MEAG have agreed to develop the Hoexter project in Germany, the firm’s second joint project battery energy storage system (BESS).
SMA Altenso said it will be a large-scale battery park, developed in-house by the firm and will be located in Hoexter, North Rhine-Westphalia. It will have a capacity of 130MW and a duration of 354MWh.
The new BESS will use SMA’s battery inverters, which use its silicon carbide (SiC) technology. This will be used with two of the company’s power plant managers as central control units to ensure seamless integration into the grid and provide real-time monitoring.
SMA Altenso said it is responsible for developing, constructing and maintaining the Hoexter project, and the grid connection is expected to take place in 2027.
This follows the Metelen project in North Rhine-Westphalia, which is a 92.5MW/231MWh BESS developed jointly by the two companies, and is due to enter commercial operation at the end of the year.
Dominik Damaschke, head of illiquid assets equity, MEAG, said, “Battery energy storage systems are essential for bridging supply gaps during periods of low renewable generation and in facilitating the greater integration of renewable energy into the grid. With the projects in Hoexter and Metelen, we are laying the foundation for our battery storage platform in Europe.”
“This BESS project represents a key step in developing urgently needed energy storage solutions and highlights the importance of strong partnerships.,” said Alessandro Materozzi, head of project development, SMA Altenso. “We are proud to be working with MEAG once again to help shape a resilient and sustainable energy future for Germany.”
Image: An illustration of what the Hoexter project BESS could look like completed. Credit: SMA Altenso.
