Grid Fees Reform: Prospects for the Future of Battery Storage

Impact on battery storage in the commercial & industrial (C&I) sectors

The Federal Network Agency is currently working on a fundamental grid fees reform. Today’s rules for allocating grid costs are based primarily on the 2005 Electricity Grid Tariff Ordinance and no longer adequately reflect the requirements of an increasingly decentralized and flexible energy system.

A new regulation is necessary for two reasons: First, the energy system has undergone fundamental changes over the past 20 years due to the expansion of renewable energy, battery storage, and new forms of consumption. Second, a ruling by the European Court of Justice necessitates an adjustment to the existing legal regulations. In addition, the current provisions of the Electricity Grid Tariff Ordinance will expire on December 31, 2028. The Federal Network Agency will therefore develop a new framework for the financing and allocation of grid costs (see press release dated May 27, 2026).

When and how will the new grid fee framework affect the use of battery storage?

According to the Federal Network Agency’s current internal schedule, an initial draft of the new framework is to be published in the coming weeks. Following the consultation phase, the plan is to adopt the general electricity network fee framework (AgNes) as soon as possible in the coming months, by the end of 2026. Concrete preparations for implementation are then scheduled to begin in the first half of 2027.

The Bundesnetzagentur has signaled that it intends to fundamentally revise the grid fees system. The plan is for battery storage systems to contribute only to a limited extent to grid costs: Instead of active energy prices, only a moderate capacity price equal to the feed-in tariffs of 4 to 7 euros/kW/year is to be charged. For existing storage systems, a later implementation date applies, as existing exemptions will remain in place for the time being.
For stand-alone battery storage systems, the existing exemption from grid fees remains a relevant factor until August 4, 2029, provided the systems go into operation on time. This exemption applies for 20 years after commissioning.

Impact on commercial and industrial storage

For C&I projects, however, the situation is less clear-cut. For C&I applications or large-scale storage systems in industrial settings, a distinction must be made between two components: general grid fees and individual grid fees. At present, we are only discussing the general grid fees that are being reformed. Individual grid fees will follow separately in 2027. This makes one thing certain: the current model will change in the future. For companies that want to use battery storage in commercial and industrial settings, this is a sign to closely monitor regulatory developments and not evaluate projects solely based on today’s framework conditions.

At the same time, it is important to note that the specific details of the new system have not yet been fully defined in all respects, particularly regarding the final logic and rates. This is precisely why the future economic viability of many C&I storage projects can currently only be assessed with caution.

What companies should consider now regarding C&I storage projects

For companies in the C&I sector, the business case for battery storage is often closely linked to load profiles, self-consumption, peak shaving, and grid access costs. If the grid tariff system changes, this can significantly impact these calculations. This does not mean that battery storage is becoming less attractive for C&I customers. Above all, it means that project evaluations must be conducted more carefully. Economic viability, operational strategy, and regulatory frameworks should be considered together.

For companies with C&I applications, a cautious, structured approach is currently recommended above all:

• Assess projects early on for their regulatory sensitivity.
• Regularly update economic feasibility calculations.
• Run through scenarios with different grid tariff assumptions.
• Evaluate storage not only as a cost-reduction tool, but also as a solution for flexibility and resilience.

This makes it easier to assess under which conditions a storage project remains viable and where additional risks lie.

Conclusion & recommendations

Current developments are fundamentally relevant for battery storage, but do not yet provide a clear reason for commercial and industrial (C&I) projects to simply breathe a sigh of relief. While stand-alone storage systems may benefit from existing regulations in the short term, one thing remains particularly important for commercial and industrial applications: closely monitoring further regulatory developments. Power peaks will be penalized less severely in the future (as was the case with atypical grid usage ). This is a positive sign for now and creates greater flexibility. Multi-use storage applications are simplified by MiSpeL. Thus, FTM services such as arbitrage and balancing energy will also not be subject to grid fees.
For consumers, the key will be to consider optimizing power and energy demand. However, we already know today that additional revenue models will emerge within the framework of multi-use approaches as a result of the MiSpeL regulations. The benefits of storage will thus shift from pure cost savings toward additional revenue.

For C&I customers, this does not mean “waiting it out,” but rather “planning carefully.” Those who evaluate storage projects in a structured manner now and consider various scenarios will create a better foundation for sound investment decisions.