RWE Invests in Major Battery Storage Facility to Support Renewable Energy Integration in Lower Saxony

RWE Invests in Major Battery Storage Facility to Support Renewable Energy Integration in Lower Saxony

(IN BRIEF) RWE has approved investment in a 400-megawatt battery storage system in Lingen, Lower Saxony, to strengthen grid stability and support the integration of renewable energy. Built on a former industrial site, the facility will be able to deliver its full output for at least two hours, providing a minimum storage capacity of 800 megawatt hours. Scheduled to begin operation in 2028, the project will respond to supply and demand fluctuations within milliseconds, offering balancing energy and advanced grid services such as instantaneous reserve. With construction preparation starting in February and all permits secured, the project also forms part of RWE’s broader global expansion of battery storage capacity across Europe, the United States and Australia.

(PRESS RELEASE) ESSEN, 30-Jan-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — RWE  is moving ahead with the construction of a large-scale battery storage facility in Lingen, Lower Saxony, strengthening the region’s energy infrastructure and supporting grid stability as renewable generation expands. The company has taken the final investment decision to build a 400-megawatt battery storage system on the former site of Dralon GmbH, where acrylic fibres were produced until 2021. Located northeast of the Emsland gas-fired power plant, the project will become the largest battery storage installation in the region once completed.

The planned facility is designed to deliver its maximum output for at least two hours, providing a storage capacity of no less than 800 megawatt hours. Commissioning is scheduled for 2028, marking a significant milestone in the expansion of firm capacity needed to balance an electricity system with a growing share of wind and solar power.

The battery storage system will be capable of reacting within milliseconds, either absorbing excess electricity from the grid or feeding power back in during periods of high demand. This rapid response capability allows the installation to bridge short-term supply gaps and manage peak loads, complementing gas-fired power plants that are intended to cover longer-lasting shortages in renewable generation.

Beyond balancing energy, the facility will also be equipped to provide advanced grid services such as instantaneous reserve, or inertia, which helps maintain grid frequency and overall system stability. The battery park will include more than 200 lithium-ion battery units, supported by over 100 inverters, more than 50 medium-voltage transformers, two high-voltage transformers and two switch panels. Connection to the transmission network will be made via the nearby Hilgenberg substation, currently under construction by Amprion less than 50 metres from the site.

All necessary permits for the project have been secured. Construction preparation will begin on 2 February, with an 8.5-hectare area in the southern section of the industrial site being readied before foundations for the battery park are laid.

The Lingen battery project forms part of RWE’s wider global battery storage strategy. As a driver of the energy transition, the company develops, builds and operates battery storage systems across Europe, the United States and Australia. By the end of the third quarter of 2025, RWE operated battery storage systems with a combined capacity of around 1.2 gigawatts, while more than 2.7 gigawatts were under construction worldwide, with further expansion planned as a core element of its long-term growth strategy.

RWE
RWE is leading the way to a modern energy world. With its investment and growth strategy, RWE is contributing significantly to the success of the energy transition and the decarbonisation of the energy system. Around 20,000 employees work for the company in almost 30 countries worldwide. RWE is one of the leading companies in the field of renewable energy. RWE is investing billions of euros in expanding its generation portfolio, in particular in offshore and onshore wind, solar energy and batteries. It is perfectly complemented by its global energy trading business. Thanks to its integrated portfolio of renewables, battery storage and flexible generation, as well as its broad project pipeline of possible new builds, RWE is well positioned to address the growing global demand for electricity, particularly driven by further electrification and artificial intelligence. RWE is decarbonising its business in line with the 1.5-degree reduction pathway and will phase out coal by 2030. RWE will be net zero by 2040. Fully in line with the company’s purpose – Our energy for a sustainable life.

Forward-looking statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements reflect the current views, expectations, and assumptions of management, and are based on information currently available to management. Forward-looking statements do not guarantee the occurrence of future results and developments and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Actual future results and developments may deviate materially from the expectations and assumptions expressed in this document due to various factors. These factors primarily include changes in the general economic and competitive environment. Furthermore, developments on financial markets and changes in currency exchange rates as well as changes in national and international laws, in particular in respect of fiscal regulation, and other factors influence the company’s future results and developments. Neither the company nor any of its affiliates undertakes to update the statements contained in this press release.

Data protection
Personal data processed in connection with press releases is processed in accordance with statutory data protection requirements. If you are no longer interested in receiving press releases, please let us know atdatenschutz-kommunikation@rwe.com . Your data will then be deleted and you will no longer receive press releases from us. If you have any questions about our data protection regulations or the exercise of your rights under the GDPR, please contactdatenschutz@rwe.com.

For further enquiries:
Olaf Winter
Press Office
RWE Generation SE
T: +49-201-5179 8455
E: olaf.winter@rwe.com

SOURCE: RWE