To integrate solar and wind power even more efficiently into the power system in the future, the LEAG Group is relying on the interaction of renewable generation, storage, and flexible electricity supply with its GigawattFactory. With the start of construction of the Heinersbrück GridBattery, another component of this integrated energy system is now taking shape. LEAG Clean Power GmbH is building a battery storage facility on a former open-cast mining area with a grid connection of 100 megawatts and a storage capacity of 400 megawatt-hours (MWh). Partnering in planning and implementation is Fluence Energy GmbH, a subsidiary of Fluence Energy, Inc., and a world leader in energy storage solutions.
"The Heinersbrück GridBattery is the first battery from LEAG Clean Power that we are installing at a grid connection point alongside wind and solar plants. This allows us to store excess renewable energy flexibly and then supply it when it's needed. It increases the efficiency of our energy system, eases the load on the power grid, and strengthens energy security," says Thomas Brandenburg, CEO of LEAG Clean Power GmbH. "We are excited to have Fluence as an experienced technology partner by our side, supporting us both in Heinersbrück and at the Jänschwalde power plant site in building a storage portfolio of national and European importance."
Fluence was tasked with planning, delivering, and setting up the Heinersbrück GridBattery. They'll be using Smartstack, the company's most advanced energy storage solution. It's based on lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries and is designed for high power density, safety, and modular construction. Fluence is handling the system integration as well as the turnkey implementation of the facility. In this way, both companies are also working together at the Jänschwalde power plant site, where the GigaBattery Jänschwalde 1000 will create a large storage system with 4,000 MWh of storage capacity.
"The GridBattery Heinersbrück is already the second project we are implementing together with LEAG Clean Power in Lusatia, following the GigaBattery Jänschwalde 1000. As a company with strong German roots, we share a vision: to make large-scale energy storage the backbone of a modern German energy system," said Julian Jansen, Managing Director Germany at Fluence.
Shared grid connection for wind, photovoltaics, and storage
The Heinersbrück GridBattery, together with the Forst-Briesnig 2 wind farm and the Bohrau 1 solar power plant of LEAG Renewables GmbH, is connected to the power grid through a shared grid connection point. The two renewable energy projects in the post-mining landscape of the Jänschwalde open-pit mine are nearing completion. For the joint connection of wind energy, solar power, and battery storage, the existing Heinersbrück substation was upgraded to a hybrid grid connection point. Additional switchgear was installed, and protection and control technology were adjusted. The work was carried out while the substation remained in operation. Required shutdowns were minimized thanks to close collaboration among all project partners, including Omexom, ABB, and Anlagen-Montagen Werder (AMW).
"With the hybrid grid connection, we are creating infrastructure that ranks among the pioneering solutions in Germany. Connecting wind energy, photovoltaics, and battery storage to a single substation allows for a much more efficient use of the limited grid capacity and an optimized operation of the systems. This combination of technologies is an important building block to advance the further expansion of renewables more quickly and in a grid-friendly way," says Dominique Guillou, Managing Director of LEAG Renewables, which is responsible within the LEAG Group for renewables and their grid integration.
The Heinersbrück GridBattery is scheduled to go into operation in 2027. LEAG Clean Power is receiving funding for the project from the European Union through the Just Transition Fund.
