RWE has started construction of its first Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Italy, marking the German energy company's entry into the Italian battery storage market.

The project, located in Ragusa in Sicily, will have a capacity of 62.5 megawatts (MW) and a nominal storage capacity of 262.5 megawatt hours (MWh). Commissioning is scheduled for the end of 2027.

A multi-container lithium-ion facility with four-hour discharge capability

The Ragusa battery will consist of 42 containers housing lithium-ion batteries. The system is designed to deliver its maximum output for four hours at a time, a configuration that corresponds to its 262.5 MWh nominal storage capacity.

According to RWE, this will allow the facility to cover the evening peak demand of around 21,000 households for four hours.

In addition to the battery containers themselves, RWE will build the associated grid infrastructure for the project. This includes a high-voltage transformer to connect the facility to the 150-kV grid.

Grid stabilisation and grid-forming services

The Ragusa battery is intended to play a role in supporting Italy's electricity network as the share of renewable generation grows.

The facility will provide balancing energy to stabilise the electricity grid. It will also feature the technology necessary to provide new grid-forming services, including instantaneous reserve, also known as inertia.

Sopna Sury, CEO of RWE Renewables Europe & Australia, described the start of construction as an important milestone for the company.

She noted that RWE has been operating in Italy for many years, using energy from wind and sun, and said that in a world of growing renewable energy, battery storage systems are crucial for stabilising the grid and ensuring electricity is used when it is needed most.

Sury also signalled that RWE intends to establish further battery storage capacity in Italy, in addition to wind and solar power, in order to support the country in building a resilient energy system.

RWE's global battery storage ambitions

The Ragusa project forms part of a broader international battery storage portfolio. RWE develops, builds, and operates battery storage systems in the US, Europe, and Australia.

Globally, the company currently operates battery storage systems with a total capacity of around 1.7 gigawatts (GW), with a further 3 GW under construction.

Battery storage is described by the company as an integral part of its growth strategy, with plans to significantly expand its battery storage capacities worldwide.

The company points to existing projects as examples of its battery expertise, including a BESS in Eemshaven in the Netherlands, a BESS in Lingen in Germany, and the Limondale BESS in Australia.

An established renewables presence in Italy

While Ragusa is RWE's first battery project in Italy, the company is already a key player in the Italian renewables market. RWE takes an integrated project approach in the country, incorporating the development, construction, and operation as well as the marketing of wind farms and solar plants.

Its current Italian operating portfolio comprises 18 onshore wind farms, one photovoltaic plant, and three agrivoltaic plants. Together these manage a total installed capacity of approximately 670 MW, enough to supply green electricity to more than 550,000 Italian households.

Beyond its operating assets, RWE currently has around 200 MW of further wind and solar capacity under construction in Italy.

Timeline and next steps

Construction is now under way at the Ragusa site in Sicily, with commissioning of the 62.5 MW / 262.5 MWh facility planned for the end of 2027.

Once operational, the battery will deliver balancing energy to the Italian grid, be capable of providing grid-forming services such as instantaneous reserve, and support evening peak demand for roughly 21,000 households over four-hour periods.

The announcement was made from Essen and Rome, with RWE describing the start of construction as an important step in extending its storage business into a market where it has built up a substantial wind and solar presence over many years.

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