Dutch battery energy storage developer GIGA Storage has achieved Ready-to-Build (RTB) status for its 350 MW / 1,400 MWh Albatross battery energy storage project near Neuenkirchen in Lower Saxony, Germany, clearing a key development milestone ahead of a planned final investment decision in the fourth quarter of 2026.
Developed in partnership with Isenau Projects, the facility will comprise 264 battery units on a site adjacent to Amprion’s renovated 380 kV Merzen substation. The installation will connect directly to the high-voltage grid.
With four hours of storage duration, Albatross is designed to help balance electricity supply and demand, increase flexibility in the power system and support the integration of renewable generation. GIGA Storage estimates that its stored energy would be equivalent to the daily electricity consumption of approximately 193,000 households.
Construction is expected to begin in the first half of 2027, with commissioning planned for 2028. Reaching RTB status marks the completion of the project’s development phase, although the investment decision remains outstanding.
Albatross is one of three 350 MW / 1,400 MWh projects acquired by GIGA Storage from Isenau and being developed jointly. The other projects, Pelican and Kingfisher, will also be located within Amprion’s grid area, with commissioning currently scheduled for early 2030.
Together, the three projects represent 1.05 GW of power capacity and 4.2 GWh of storage capacity. GIGA Storage intends to operate the assets over the long term.
GIGA Storage chief executive Kevin Dijkers said Albatross’s progress marked a step towards expanding the company’s German portfolio and its ambition to operate multiple gigawatts of energy storage across Europe.
Isenau’s founders, Sven Moos and Tobias Trzeschan, said the partnership was focused on developing large-scale storage projects in line with the requirements of the electricity market, grid operators and investors.
