In brief

Construction has started on a major battery energy storage project in Bertikow, Brandenburg, Germany. Jointly developed by ENERTRAG, a German renewable energy company, and Enlight Renewable Energy, an Israeli renewable energy developer and investor, the facility will provide 200 MW of power and approximately 840 MWh of storage capacity.

The system will be connected directly to Germany’s 380-kV transmission grid and equipped with grid-forming inverter technology supplied by SMA Solar Technology. Beyond storing renewable electricity, it is designed to contribute to voltage and frequency stability and support grid restoration services.

Commissioning is planned for late 2027, with commercial operation expected in the first half of 2028. A seven-year agreement with EDF Trading covers part of the battery’s capacity. No specific public subsidy has been identified in the project announcements.

A Large Battery Storage Project Moves into Construction

On 13 October 2026, ENERTRAG and Enlight Renewable Energy marked the start of construction of the Bertikow battery energy storage system (BESS) in Uckerfelde, Brandenburg.

The facility will be built next to the Bertikow substation, an important connection point in northeastern Germany’s transmission network. Land rights and grid access have been secured, and the project has moved from development into construction.

With a planned power rating of 200 MW and an energy capacity of approximately 840 MWh, the system will be capable of delivering its rated output for about 4.2 hours under idealised conditions.

This storage duration makes Bertikow suitable for shifting substantial quantities of electricity between periods of high renewable generation and periods of greater demand.

The project is jointly developed by Germany’s ENERTRAG and Enlight Renewable Energy, an Israeli company expanding its investments in European renewable energy and battery storage infrastructure.

Source: Enlight and ENERTRAG – Bertikow construction announcement, October 2026

More Than Electricity Storage: Grid-Forming Technology

The most interesting technological feature of Bertikow is its planned grid-forming capability.

Conventional battery inverters generally synchronise with the voltage and frequency already established by the electricity grid. Grid-forming inverters, by contrast, can actively establish and regulate voltage and frequency within their operating limits.

This capability is becoming increasingly important as conventional power stations with large rotating generators are replaced by wind turbines, photovoltaic installations and battery systems connected through power electronics.

Germany’s SMA Solar Technology will supply the central power conversion and control equipment:

• 29 SMA Medium Voltage Power Stations 9200.
• Two Sunny Central Storage UP-S 4600 battery inverters per station, giving 58 inverters in total.
• Two redundant SMA Power Plant Managers.
• The SMA Synchronous Grid Forming Package.

Together, these components are designed to enable the battery installation to support demanding operating conditions in the transmission grid.

Grid-forming operation does not automatically mean that all conventional power-station functions can be replaced. The actual services depend on system configuration, grid requirements and subsequent commissioning tests.

Nevertheless, Bertikow represents a substantial planned industrial application of advanced power electronics in a large-scale battery storage facility.

Source: SMA Solar Technology – Technical configuration and grid-forming technology

Integrating Renewable Electricity into the Transmission Grid

Germany’s growing wind and solar capacity creates an increasing need for flexibility in the electricity system.

When renewable generation exceeds immediate demand, electricity prices can fall sharply and some generation may need to be curtailed. At other times, additional electricity must be supplied quickly.

Large batteries can help address this mismatch by charging during periods of surplus generation and discharging when electricity is more valuable or needed by the grid.

Bertikow’s direct connection to the 380-kV transmission network is particularly important. It will allow the facility to participate in electricity markets while potentially providing technical services that contribute to grid stability.

The battery is expected to operate in Germany’s day-ahead and intraday electricity markets, as well as ancillary-service markets.

The project partners have also announced an agreement for grid restoration support services, scheduled to begin in July 2029 and run for ten years.

These arrangements indicate that the battery is being developed not merely as an electricity trading asset, but as part of the technical infrastructure of a renewable electricity system.

Source: EDF Trading – Project agreements and grid services

German–Israeli Investment and European Technology

The Bertikow project brings together international investment, German renewable energy development and European expertise in power electronics and electricity markets.

ENERTRAG, based in Germany, contributes its experience in renewable energy development and regional grid infrastructure, including the modernisation of the neighbouring Bertikow substation.

Enlight Renewable Energy, headquartered in Israel, participates as a project partner and investor. Bertikow forms part of the company’s expansion in European renewable energy and battery storage markets.

The companies have not disclosed a detailed division of technical responsibilities between the two project owners. In particular, neither company is identified as the manufacturer of the battery cells or grid-forming inverters.

SMA Solar Technology, based in Germany, will provide the power conversion equipment, grid-forming inverter technology and associated control systems.

EDF Trading has entered into a seven-year offtake agreement covering part of the battery’s capacity, while Germany’s Entrix will provide commercial optimisation and market operation services.

No specific public funding programme or subsidy has been identified in the project announcements published to date. The commercial agreements should not be confused with public financial support.

Source: SMA Solar Technology – Equipment and project partners

Source: EDF Trading – Commercial agreements

Construction Schedule and Next Steps

Construction is now underway. The installation of foundations, battery containers and electrical infrastructure will follow.

Commissioning is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2027, while commercial operation is targeted for the first half of 2028.

The project’s technical capabilities and commercial performance remain to be demonstrated after commissioning. In particular, no verified reductions in renewable electricity curtailment or greenhouse-gas emissions can yet be attributed to the facility.

Towards a More Flexible European Electricity System

Bertikow illustrates an important development in Europe’s energy transition: battery storage is evolving from a means of shifting electricity in time into an increasingly sophisticated component of grid infrastructure.

The combination of 840 MWh of storage capacity, direct transmission-grid connection and grid-forming technology is particularly relevant for electricity systems with high shares of renewable generation.

The German–Israeli project also demonstrates how international investment and European industrial technologies can contribute to the development of increasingly flexible electricity infrastructure.

Although the facility is not yet operational, the start of construction marks a concrete step towards integrating large-scale battery storage and advanced grid-support technologies into Europe’s electricity system.