EnBW has inaugurated an energy park in Gundelsheim, Baden-Württemberg that combines solar, wind and battery storage at a single site.
The first element, a 58MW solar park covering 55 hectares with 110,000 modules, is already in operation and will generate electricity for around 30,000 households annually.
A hybrid storage facility on site integrates 12 used Audi e-tron batteries with a sodium-ion system, creating Europe’s largest installation of its kind with a 2.25MWh capacity and 1.22MW output. Research into the coupling of technologies is being led by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems with support from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.
EnBW chief executive Georg Stamatelopoulos said: “In the right mix and on the right scale, this creates an integral energy system that strikes the right balance between cost-effectiveness, reliability and sustainability.”
The project will also deliver regional economic benefits through rental income, trade tax, and ecological measures including wildflower strips, a wildlife corridor and pond restoration.
EnBW said the Gundelsheim park represents a milestone in its renewables expansion, with 2025 expected to be the company’s biggest ever year for new capacity additions.