Decentralised Grid Booster
Amprion has developed the decentralised grid booster in collaboration with E.ON and LEW Verteilnetz (LVN). As part of this project, a network of battery modules is being connected to the distribution system in Swabia.
Less redispatch thanks to safety buffer
The transformation of the energy system is in full swing. As a result, grid operations are becoming increasingly complex. Transmission system operators are repeatedly forced to throttle power generation in certain areas and increase it in others in order to prevent individual lines from becoming overloaded. This so-called redispatch has been on the rise for years. The costs for this amount to several billion euros each year in the German transmission grid – a burden on our economy.
In addition to the urgently needed grid expansion, short-term measures are therefore needed to reduce the number of redispatch measures in the transmission network. One of these is the so-called decentralised grid booster. The network of battery modules can provide its demand as an additional safety buffer at any time. This allows the threshold at which redispatch becomes necessary to be set higher.
This has two effects: firstly, the lines in the transmission network can be utilised to a greater extent during normal operation. Secondly, the battery network counteracts line bottlenecks – because, at Amprion's request, it relieves the strain on the electricity grid within seconds, i.e. faster than conventional power stations could ever do.
Bavarian Swabia is particularly well suited as a location for the decentralised grid booster, as power stations often have to be ramped up for redispatch, especially in southern Germany. Thanks to the grid booster, these mostly conventional power stations will be needed less frequently.
We explain how the decentralised grid booster works in this video:
Modular Structure in the Distribution Network
Instead of a centralised asset with a direct connection to the transmission network, the grid booster will be divided across five locations in Bavarian Swabia and connected to the regional 110-kilovolt distribution system. Existing substations in the LVN grid area are planned as grid connection points. This will create battery storage facilities with a demand of 50 megawatts each at the Gersthofen, Irsingen, Memmingen, Oberottmarshausen and Vöhrigen locations. This modular approach reduces connection costs, increases the availability of the grid booster and reduces the impact on the landscape at the individual locations.
Each module consists of several battery units with switching and control technology. In total, the decentralised grid booster has a demand of 250 megawatts.
Tender for construction and operation
Amprion issued a non-discriminatory tender for the decentralised grid booster in accordance with Section 11a of the Energy Industry Act. The project was awarded to EDF RE Speicherprojekte 1 GmbH & Co. KG in November 2025. The project company EDF power solutions Deutschland GmbH will construct and operate the decentralised grid booster in Bavarian Swabia. This also includes detailed planning of the specific battery locations and obtaining the necessary permits.
Multiple use: innovation for greater cost-effectiveness
In addition to the grid connection points, Amprion also specified the call-off concept in the tender.
The innovative operating mode is the unique selling point of the project: when the grid booster is not needed to stabilise the transmission network, LVN can use the battery storage systems to relieve the regional power grid. This is to be regulated by a cooperation agreement between the grid operators. During the summer months, EDF power solutions Deutschland may also offer the battery storage systems on the electricity market, thus opening up a third use. This multiple use optimises the economic benefits of the pilot project.
The decentralised grid booster is scheduled to go into operation on 1 January 2028.
