AgNes grid fees and battery storage: Special treatment is crucial

The Bundesnetzagentur has initiated an important debate with its discussion paper that also affects battery storage solutions. Up to now, these have been exempt from grid fees until 2029. An alliance of companies along the battery storage value chain, including manufacturers, project planners, marketers and STABL Energy has published a joint statement on this as part of the AgNes grid fees consultation (procedure for determining the general grid fee system for electricity).

The central message: A premature introduction of grid fees for battery storage would massively jeopardize the necessary market ramp-up in Germany and slow down the investment dynamic. This would contradict the German government’s energy policy goals, which aim to reduce the burden on flexibility options. The companies argue that special treatment, in particular extensive or complete exemption from grid fees, is imperative from the perspective of investors, grid operators and regulatory requirements.

Background: What is the Bundesnetzagentur planning?

The Federal Network Agency is currently revising the financing of the electricity grid. In the discussion paper on the general grid fee system for electricity (AgNes), an extension of the grid fee obligation to battery energy storage systems (BESS) is proposed. These systems are currently exempt until 2029. However, the planned reform could lead to battery storage systems being subject to considerable additional costs even earlier.

Although the industry welcomes the Federal Network Agency’s open dialog, it has issued a firm warning: an early grid fee charge jeopardizes planning security, curbs investment momentum and thus slows down the urgently needed expansion of battery storage systems. Without efficient storage systems, the ambitious climate targets risk becoming a waste of time because there is a lack of flexibility and system stability in the grid.

Battery Storage systems need special treatment at AgNes

Battery storage systems are characterized by a purely market-based expansion, which means that their growth in the electricity system takes place without investment subsidies or privileged feed-in tariffs. In addition, battery energy storage systems are highly multifunctional. They play an indispensable role for flexibility, security of supply and system stability in an increasingly decentralized and volatile electricity system with a high proportion of renewable energies.

BESS also serve the market, as they participate in electricity trading markets and help to smooth out price volatility. They serve the system and stabilize the frequency by providing balancing power products. They are also potentially useful for the grid because they can reduce grid loads, avoid grid expansion or reduce redispatch costs. This multifunctionality distinguishes storage systems from traditional consumers and producers and should be reflected in the grid fee system. A flat-rate grid fee, especially one based on the energy price, would jeopardize the economically optimal mode of operation.

The 3-step model for a sustainable solution

The undersigned companies and STABL Energy are in favor of a staggered approach that provides for an extension of the grid fee exemption until 2034 in order to ensure investment security. The proposed model comprises three phases:

1. Short to medium term (until 2034): Extension of the existing grid fee exemption. This ensures investment security and planning consistency for the still young storage expansion in Germany (as of June 26, 2025: 2.8 GWh).
2. Medium-term: Development of differentiated, grid utility-based discount forms, taking into account standardized assessment criteria.
3. Long-term: Integration of storage systems into a system of grid charges based on causation, which, however, takes into account the diverse systemic effects of storage systems in a differentiated manner.

The Alliance emphasizes that a hasty introduction of fee structures without reliable data and regulatory clarity poses considerable risks for the expansion of storage. There is still a lack of harmonized definitions of grid serviceability, reliable assessments of market interactions and standardized implementation paths for grid operators.

A future grid fee regime for storage must be transparent, incentive-compatible and open to development. The aim is to secure the ramp-up of the important flexibility option BESS in Germany before it is nipped in the bud by grid fees. Grid-friendly services should be incentivized through targeted remuneration systems and not enforced through fee sanctions.
Please also read the latest article (German version) from energate.