FAQ

A battery storage system is an electrochemical system that absorbs, stores and releases electrical energy as needed. It consists of battery cells and the required power electronics that control the charging and discharging process. When used on an industrial scale, for example for grid support, frequency regulation, as intermediate storage for wind and solar plants, or to secure critical infrastructure, it is referred to as large-scale battery storage; in practice, this term usually applies from around 1 megawatt or 1 megawatt-hour upwards. These systems consist of many battery modules connected in series and parallel and predominantly use lithium-ion cells, especially lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO₄). They deliver power in the multi-digit megawatt range, typically discharge energy over 0.5 to 2 hours, and achieve a system efficiency of 85 to 90 percent. Thanks to their modular design, they are scalable from individual megawatt-hours into the GWh range and are therefore a central tool of the energy transition that relieves grid infrastructure and increases supply security locally and across regions.

GEPVOLT currently primarily uses lithium iron phosphate cells (LiFePO₄), a robust cell chemistry within lithium-ion technology. These cells are thermally stable, chemically inert and mechanically resilient; due to their high temperature tolerance of up to around 300 °C without thermal runaway, they offer significant safety advantages over cell types such as NMC or NCA, which are more reactive in fault scenarios and can release oxygen. LiFePO₄ cells also do not require critical metals such as cobalt and are therefore considered comparatively environmentally friendly and resource-efficient. Our technology choice follows the principle of maximum operational safety, long service life and future viability; should a demonstrably better cell technology become available in future, GEPVOLT will also evaluate it after thorough technical assessment. At the end of the life cycle, we rely on second-life concepts or a controlled recycling process depending on condition, in order to recover raw materials and minimise environmental impact.

The permits required depend essentially on the location, technical design, storage size and intended grid connection point. In most cases, a building permit is required, as battery storage systems are building installations within the meaning of state building codes; depending on the federal state and project, different requirements apply that must be coordinated with the responsible authority. In addition, requirements from building planning law, fire protection, nature and landscape conservation, or technical specifications from grid operators may apply; whether storage may be built in outdoor areas depends, among other things, on whether the project is classified as privileged. For more extensive projects, such as additional cable routes or a substation, a planning approval procedure and, under certain circumstances, an environmental impact assessment (EIA) may be required. GEPVOLT accompanies its projects with clearly structured permitting processes and coordinates early with the relevant authorities to ensure feasibility and legal certainty.

At GEPVOLT, the safety of energy storage solutions is the top priority. Even in the planning phase, we ensure that all systems meet the highest requirements for fire protection, operational continuity and technical monitoring, including under challenging site conditions. A central role is played by the choice of cell chemistry: we prefer lithium iron phosphate cells (LiFePO₄), which are considered particularly safe due to their thermal stability and low reactivity, supplemented by modern control and protection mechanisms. Instead of standardised solutions, we develop a tailored safety concept for each project that takes into account local conditions, grid integration and regulatory requirements, and is implemented in close coordination with specialist planners, permitting authorities and fire services. This includes software-supported analysis functions, coordinated fire protection measures and project-specific system architectures for plants that operate safely even at sensitive locations such as industrial areas, outdoor sites or near critical infrastructure.

Battery containers serve as enclosed system units for housing high-performance battery storage. The basic structure often follows standardised transport container sizes such as 20 or 40 feet; alternatively, GEPVOLT uses project-specific custom formats. Inside, the battery modules are housed in multi-tier carrier systems, supplemented by control and power electronics, air conditioning units, and facilities for continuous monitoring and automated fire detection; depending on the design, inverters, grid connection technology or transformers can also be integrated directly. At GEPVOLT, each storage container is tailored precisely to local and technical conditions: from capacity design and safety requirements to grid-side integration, including software components for operational monitoring and fault detection. This creates not only modular storage solutions but fully integrated systems that can be connected to existing energy infrastructure with all relevant interfaces and protection mechanisms.

The service life of a battery storage system is largely determined by cell chemistry, operating mode and environmental conditions. GEPVOLT relies on lithium iron phosphate technology (LiFePO₄) with high cycle stability: in practice, such cells achieve around 10,000 charge and discharge cycles, which corresponds to at least 15 years with daily operation. Since the cell component is only part of the system, our systems are modular, fully monitorable and designed for long-term maintainability; battery modules, cooling and ventilation units, or power electronic components can be replaced selectively, so that the useful life of the overall system can in many cases be extended to 25 to 30 years and beyond. Through continuous condition monitoring, data-based maintenance and a structured spare parts concept, the systems remain operational over the long term. Part of our life cycle strategy is also returning modules to controlled recycling or use as second-life systems to conserve resources and reduce the ecological footprint.

For the construction of a stationary large-scale storage system, GEPVOLT typically calculates a minimum area of around 1,700 square metres. This includes not only the battery containers themselves, but also the required clearances, technical infrastructure such as inverters and transformers, and sufficient space for maintenance, safety equipment and fire protection. For larger projects, from around 100 megawatt-hours of storage capacity, land requirements can be significantly higher; depending on layout, connection point and site conditions, areas between 0.5 and 3 hectares are realistic. Compared to other energy installations, the space requirement of a battery storage system is overall compact. Sites from approximately 1,700 m² in technical proximity to substations, grid nodes or high-voltage lines are particularly suitable; GEPVOLT evaluates each site individually in the project context and develops plant concepts tailored accordingly.