Bavaria and Lower Saxony Push to Ease Battery Storage Grid Backlogs
Bavaria and Lower Saxony have proposed a motion to the Bundesrat to exempt 'battery storage' from the Kraftwerks-Netzanschlussverordnung (KraftNAV), aiming to ease 'grid connection' backlogs and prioritize other projects. This move comes amidst the federal government's efforts to streamline 'energy transition' processes and boost 'storage capacity'.
Bavaria, led by Economy and Energy Minister Hubert Aiwanger, sees the current backlog of 'battery storage' projects as hindering other 'grid connection' applicants, such as gas power plants and data centers. The state plans to give preference to large consumers like data centers for 'grid connections'.
The German federal government, under Minister Katherina Reiche's 10-point plan, supports proposals to facilitate 'storage construction' and 'grid connections'. It aims to bypass lengthy processes by providing planning and financing certainty until 2032, encouraging integrated regional approaches, and investing in digital and climate-neutral infrastructure. These measures help address bottlenecks by simplifying approval processes and offering federal financial support for faster 'grid and storage expansions'.
Bavaria also plans to create systemic incentives for building 'storage facilities' at 'network-friendly locations'. Aiwanger criticized the current 'windfall principle' for 'grid connection' requests, which totals 500 gigawatts.
The Bundesrat's motion, if approved, will exempt 'battery storage' from KraftNAV, potentially speeding up 'grid connection' processes for other projects. The federal government's support for streamlined 'energy transition' processes and increased 'storage capacity' aims to bolster Germany's 'renewable energy infrastructure'.
