Zenobē buys German BESS developer SDP Energie, inheriting 1. 75GW transmission-level pipeline
July 28, 2026From left: James Basden, Co-Founder and Director, Zenobē, Peter Zickgraf, Co-Founder, SDP Energie, Johannes Steck, Co-Founder, SDP Energie, Jonathan Wagner, Co-Founder, SDP Energie and Semih. . .
July 28, 2026From left: James Basden, Co-Founder and Director, Zenobē, Peter Zickgraf, Co-Founder, SDP Energie, Johannes Steck, Co-Founder, SDP Energie, Jonathan Wagner, Co-Founder, SDP Energie and Semih Oztreves, Chief Commercial Officer (BESS), Zenobē. Image: Zenobē. UK-based BESS and EV charging firm Zenobē has entered the German market with the acquisition of Bavaria-headquartered BESS developer SDP Energie. Announced yesterday (27 July), the deal sees Zenobē take on SDP and a pipeline of six transmission-level battery energy storage system (BESS) projects in Germany totalling 1. 75GW of capacity. The firm has a broader development pipeline totalling 4GW. The partnership combines SDP’s local knowledge of Germany’s regulatory environment and grid infrastructure with Zenobē’s expertise in bringing online and operating transmission-level, large scale BESS in the UK. Zenobēhas also been one of the pioneers in deploying BESS to provide grid-forming services like inertia in the UK with its Kilmarnock South and Blackhillock projects in Scotland. That market is starting to open up in Germany now too. This article requiresPremium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) SubscriptionAlready a subscriber?Sign InTry Premium for just $1Full premium access for the first month at only $1Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelledCancel anytime during the trial periodPremium BenefitsExpert industry analysis and interviewsDigital access to PV Tech Power journalExclusive event discountsZenobē also financed the UK’s first 4-hour BESS project recently,the 200MW/800Mh Coalburn project. Germany is also heading in the direction of 4-hour projects, with its revenue stack already geared more towards wholesale energy trading than in the UK. Johannes Steck, co-Founder, SDP Energie (stylised as ‘sdp energie’) commented: “Developing transmission-connected battery storage projects in Germany requires deep local expertise, persistence and trusted relationships. ”James Basden, Co-Founder and Director at Zenobē, added: “We intend to buy more transmission scale projects and to work with leading offtake providers looking for a proven partner for flexibility services. ”The news comes as large-scale BESS financing, transaction, supply deal and construction activity soars after German regulatorsconfirmed the 4 August 2029 for projects to get online and avoid charge-discharge grid fees. According to our analysis and reporting, at the time of writing last week the progression of some15GWh of large-scale BESS capacity had been announced since the decision at the end of May. And just today, power firm RWE announced it was starting construction on a 236MW/470MWh BESS at its Hambach open-cast mine, set for commissioning in 2027. We’ve interviewed numerous Zenobē executives in the past. We chatted toBasden last year about the company’s opposition to the UK’s long-duration energy storage scheme, whileCCO Semih Oztreves has regularly discussed the big picture topics in the industry. 15 September 2026Berlin, GermanyLaunching September 2026 in Berlin, Energy Storage Summit Germany is a new standalone event dedicated to Germany’s energy storage market. Bringing together investors, developers, policymakers, TSOs, manufacturers and optimisation specialists, the Summit explores the regulatory shifts, revenue models, financing strategies and technology innovations shaping large-scale deployment. With Germany targeting 80% renewables by 2030, it offers a focused platform to connect with the decision-makers driving the Energiewende and the future of utility-scale storage. 13 October 2026London, UKNow in its second edition, the Summit provides a dedicated platform for UK & Ireland’s BESS community to share practical insights on performance, degradation, safety, market design and optimisation strategies. As storage deployment accelerates towards 2030 targets, attendees gain the tools needed to enhance returns and operate resilient, efficient assets. Read NextJuly 28, 2026Malawi’s energy minister was on hand last week as the southeast African country inaugurated its first large-scale standalone battery energy storage system (BESS). July 24, 2026ESS Tech Inc is deploying sodium-ion BESS in the US with Juniper Energy, while CATL deploys its sodium-ion technology in Eastern Europe with Solarpro. July 24, 2026In this news roundup, Grenergy, MaxSolar and Saft, and Amarenco have made significant advancements on BESS projects in Spain, Germany, and France. July 23, 2026Germany will have its first capacity market (CM) auction in September this year, following confirmation from the country’s energy regulator. PremiumJuly 23, 2026BESS has huge potential to be deployed alongside AI data centres, but how are industry players positioning themselves to capture this opportunity?Most Popular