Critical Radarby SAFETEE

Knowledge · Construction and energy

Grid connection for battery storage: figures and situation.

The number of connection requests for battery storage almost tripled in 2025 compared with the previous year. A central bottleneck is the grid connection, along with lead times for transformers. This page puts the Federal Network Agency's figures and the ongoing reforms in context.

How hard is it to get a grid connection for battery storage?

The grid connection is the bottleneck for large battery storage in Germany. In 2025 grid operators received 18,158 requests totalling 573.5 GW. Binding commitments for these requests amounted to 33.9 GW, by our own calculation around six percent of the requested capacity. According to specialist reports, the transmission system operators have allocated capacity by project maturity rather than order of receipt since 2026.

As of · SAFETEE editorial team · responsible: Marc Riegel

How many storage projects want to connect?

The 54.2 GW of commitments also include commitments on older requests. For requests from 2025 alone there were 1,468 commitments with 33.9 GW. Multiple requests for the same project are common, and a commitment binds only the grid operator: not every committed project gets built.

In the transmission grid the four transmission system operators had already issued 64 commitments totalling 24.7 GW by 1 April 2026, almost as much as in the whole of 2025.

Connection requests and commitments for battery storage in 2025 (Federal Network Agency, SMARD)
Grid levelRequestsrequested capacitycommitments 2025 (incl. older requests)
Distribution grid17,775406.8 GW1,866 with 26.9 GW
Transmission grid383166.7 GW71 with 27.3 GW
Total18,158573.5 GW (1,583 GWh)1,937 with 54.2 GW (142.4 GWh)

How much storage capacity is already operating?

According to the Federal Network Agency's analysis on SMARD (August 2026), 1,292 storage systems from medium voltage upwards are in operation with around 3.6 GW net capacity and around 6 GWh. An older count in the core energy market data register (as of 15 October 2025) gives around 2.4 GW gross capacity for large battery storage over 999 kW; the two figures are defined differently.

What does the maturity procedure change?

Since 2026 the four transmission system operators 50Hertz, Amprion, TenneT and TransnetBW have allocated connection capacity for large consumers such as storage, data centres and electrolysers by project maturity rather than order of receipt. According to an analysis by the law firm CMS, the first cycle started on 1 April 2026 with a cut-off date of 30 June 2026.

  • According to CMS: scoring with up to 11 maturity points in four categories: site and permit, plant concept, applicant's capability, grid and system benefit
  • Flat application fee of 50,000 euros
  • Completion deposit of 1,500 euros per MW after a positive decision, later credited against the construction cost contribution
  • First cycle lasts around ten months: application, cluster study, offer

How long does a connection take?

The editorial team is not aware of official statistics on waiting times. According to industry reports from February 2026, almost all free connection points in the extra-high-voltage grid are reserved for the next five years.

Transformer lead times come on top. According to ZfK (June 2026), Siemens Energy cites 18 to 36 months for high-voltage power transformers and Hitachi Energy one to two years; the grid operator Westfalen Weser recommends at least five years of procurement lead time. These are company statements, not official figures.

What does the federal government plan with the grid package?

The federal cabinet adopted the government draft on 29 July 2026 (Bundestag document 21/7866). The first reading took place on 24 September 2026 and the hearing in the Committee on Economic Affairs and Energy on 7 October 2026. As of this page no adoption had been recorded; entry into force is planned for 1 January 2027.

  • Prioritisation of connection requests by statutory criteria
  • Redispatch reservation in capacity-limited areas; according to the government draft, an area counts as such with more than 5 percent curtailment in the previous year, for six years
  • Reservation rules for connections from 135 kW and monthly grid capacity maps
  • Storage is excluded from the connection priority for renewables

Content based on analyses of the government draft by the law firms CMS and GÖRG. The text may change before it is passed.

What applies to the construction cost contribution?

The Federal Network Agency considers a construction cost contribution for grid-connected battery storage above low voltage to be permissible and has published a position paper with a capacity-price model. The Federal Court of Justice upheld a contribution calculated on this basis on 15 July 2025 (EnVR 1/24).

What the Critical Radar adds

In its construction and energy section the Critical Radar tracks storage, grid expansion and major projects with figures from the core energy market data register and SMARD. On grid connections, the grid package and supply chains the editorial team issues forecasts with probability and due date, on request for your own project.

Forecasts with probability and deadline How forecasts are made

Questions and answers

Frequently asked.

How many battery storage projects requested a grid connection in 2025?

According to the Federal Network Agency, 18,158 requests totalling 573.5 GW of capacity and 1,583 GWh, of which 383 in the transmission grid and 17,775 in the distribution grid.

How many requests receive a commitment?

Up to the Federal Network Agency's analysis, requests from 2025 received 33.9 GW of binding commitments, by our own calculation around six percent of the requested capacity. According to the agency, multiple requests for the same project are common.

What is the maturity procedure?

A procedure of the transmission system operators that allocates connection capacity for large consumers such as storage by project maturity rather than order of receipt. According to the law firm CMS, the first cycle started on 1 April 2026.

Has the grid package been passed?

No adoption had been recorded as of this page. The government draft is before the Bundestag, the hearing took place on 7 October 2026, and entry into force is planned for 1 January 2027.

Sources

All sources were accessed on the date shown. Figures are reproduced unchanged; our own calculations are marked as such. This page is a situation summary, not legal advice.