CUBE Profit Duo Solution · Battery storage for industry and commerce

DUO: Two battery storage systems on one grid connection

Your grid connection can earn money.

Is your business using only part of its grid connection? DUO adds two battery storage systems: one lowers your electricity costs, the other earns revenue in the power market with the unused capacity. Purchase or contracting, without a larger grid connection.

At a glance · Example calculation for contracting

€110649

per year for you

€0

own investment, financed by CUBE

€1.18 million

for you over a 12-year term

Example calculation, first year of operation: 2,500 kW grid connection, of which 1,500 kW for operations, two batteries with 1,000 kW and 2,000 kWh each. The full calculation is shown below under Purchase or contracting.

CUBE Profit Duo Solution

What is DUO?

DUO, the CUBE Profit Duo Solution by CUBE CONCEPTS, is a model with two separate battery storage systems on one grid connection. Battery 1 (BTM, behind the meter) lowers your electricity costs. Battery 2 (FTM, front of the meter) uses the unused connection capacity to earn revenue in the power market. DUO is available for purchase or as contracting.

Your grid connection is sized for the maximum power your business may draw. In day-to-day operations, your business usually uses only part of it. The rest goes unused.

DUO splits your grid connection into two fixed zones. Up to an agreed limit, it belongs to your operations. Battery 1 works here, behind the meter: it buys power when prices are low, shaves your load peaks and stores your solar power. This lowers your electricity costs.

The capacity above the limit stays permanently free. Battery 2 works here, in front of the meter: it provides balancing power to the grid and trades electricity. This earns you additional revenue.

Why two batteries?

Battery 1 is what frees up the capacity for Battery 2. It absorbs your load peaks so your operations stay safely below the limit. Only then is the capacity above it available to the power market at all times.

An energy management system measures continuously at the grid connection and controls both batteries. Neither task takes anything away from the other, and your operations always have priority.

One grid connection

You use the connection you already have

Two batteries

Battery 1 for your operations, Battery 2 for the power market

Two revenue streams

Lower electricity costs and additional market revenue

Purchase or contracting

You invest yourself, or CUBE invests for you

Who is DUO for?

DUO fits your site if

✓  you are an industrial or commercial business connected to the medium-voltage grid

✓  your grid connection is not fully used in daily operations

✓  load peaks and grid fees make up a noticeable share of your electricity costs

✓  your site has room for two battery storage systems close to the grid connection

✓  you want the benefits without your own capital, or prefer to invest yourself

✓  you want to prepare for the new grid fees under AgNes before 2029

DUO is a large-scale storage system for industry and commerce. Whether it pays off at your site is shown by the free potential analysis based on your load profile. An overview of battery storage for industry and commerce is available here.

How DUO works

How DUO splits your grid connection.

Example: 2,500 kW grid connection, of which 1,500 kW is the limit for your operations. The remaining 1,000 kW is permanently available to Battery 2.

YOUR GRID CONNECTION

2,500 kW

stays as it is

1,500 kW

for your operations

→

Battery 1 · BTM

behind the meter: buys low, shaves peaks

→

Lowers your electricity costs

€50,649 per year for you

1,000 kW

unused today

→

Battery 2 · FTM

in front of the meter: balancing power and power trading

→

Earns in the power market

€60,000 per year for you

Your operations always have priority. An energy management system and a power meter measure continuously at the grid connection. They keep your site load and Battery 1 together below the agreed limit, 1,500 kW in this example. Battery 2 only uses the capacity above it.

Battery 1 · behind the meter

Battery 1 lowers your electricity costs.

Lever 1

Smarter power purchasing

The battery charges during low-price hours on the spot market and replaces expensive grid power. The price difference is your gain.

Lever 2

Peak shaving

During peak-load windows, the battery discharges and lowers your peak; outside them, it charges up to the limit. This reduces your demand charges.

Lever 3

Use your own solar power

With a PV system, the battery stores solar power that would otherwise be fed into the grid at a low price. Without a PV system, only this lever is omitted.

Battery 2 · front of the meter

Battery 2 earns in the power market.

Battery 2 markets the reserved capacity through specialized trading partners. This revenue comes on top of the savings from Battery 1.

Market 1

Capacity for grid stability: FCR with a capacity price, aFRR and mFRR with capacity and energy prices.

Market 2

Inertia (instantaneous reserve)

Grid stabilization within milliseconds, a market run by the transmission system operators.

Market 3

Power trading

Day-ahead and intraday: price differences over the day, traded by partners such as enspired and Second Foundation.

Basis of calculation: €275,000 market revenue per MW in the first year of operation, within the range of €244,000 to €319,000 per MW. The trading partner is selected per project. Grid feed-in subject to approval by the grid operator.

Purchase or contracting

You decide who invests.

Same system, same revenue. With a Purchase , you receive the full return on your own capital. With Contracting , CUBE invests and operates, and you receive 25% of the net revenue without any capital outlay. How costs and returns break down is explained in battery storage costs and ROI.

PurchaseContracting
Your investment€1040000€0
For you per year€442596€110649
of which Battery 1 · Battery 2€202,596 · €240,000€50,649 · €60,000
Payback Battery 1 · Battery 22.6 · 2.1 yearsnot applicable
For you over 12 years€3.69 million after investment€1.18 million
Market risk and operationwith youwith CUBE, with purchase option

Example calculation, first year of operation: 2,500 kW grid connection, of which 1,500 kW for operations, two batteries with 1,000 kW and 2,000 kWh each, 12-year term. Battery 1: €215,596 savings minus €13,000 operating costs. Battery 2: €275,000 market revenue (assumption within the range of €244,000 to €319,000 per MW) minus €35,000 operating costs. Totals over 12 years include degradation. Grid feed-in subject to approval by the grid operator. We calculate your figures from your load profile. No guarantee.

Why now

From 2029, ordered capacity is what counts. Two deadlines expire in 2027.

AgNes from 2029

Under the draft determination of the Federal Network Agency (BNetzA), the demand charge is abolished. You order capacity annually; any draw above it costs 200 to 350% of the energy price.

Section 19 is phasing out

Atypical grid use and baseload discounts end in 2028. Transition until 2031 only for existing arrangements, for atypical use above 10 GWh per year.

Section 118 for Battery 2

Up to 20 years without grid fees on charging power, to the extent it is fed back into the grid. Binding order before January 1, 2027, proof by March 31, 2027, commissioning by August 4, 2029.

Grid connections are scarce

Expansions take years. DUO uses the connection you already have.

Sources: Federal Network Agency (BNetzA), draft determination AgNes (GBK-25-01-1#3) of August 6, 2026 · Section 118 (6) EnWG · Section 19 (2) StromNEV · preliminary, subject to change · As of November 2026

Your implementation

Both batteries turnkey from a single source.

01

Project start

Month 1

Load profile, grid connection and site for both batteries

02

Concept

Months 1–2

Design of both batteries, limit and economics

03

Engineering

Months 2–3

Safety, energy management and metering concept, grid compatibility

04

Planning

Months 2–5

Selection and contracting of the general contractor, permits

05

Construction

Months 5–8

Coordination, construction controlling, certification

06

Commissioning

Months 7–9

Grid connection, control, start of marketing

Schedule indicative, depending on grid operator and permits. Project marketing is included in the service agreement: construction diary, press release, photos and videos, inauguration with press.

References

Chosen as energy partner.

Magna · Valeo · Tenneco · ITW · voestalpine

150+

PV projects delivered across Europe

400+ MWh

storage in implementation in Germany and the Czech Republic

Frequently asked questions about DUO

Your questions, answered up front.

What is DUO?
DUO, the CUBE Profit Duo Solution by CUBE CONCEPTS, is a model with two separate battery storage systems on one grid connection. Battery 1 (BTM, behind the meter) lowers the site's electricity costs, Battery 2 (FTM, front of the meter) uses the unused connection capacity to earn revenue in the power market. DUO is available for purchase or as contracting.
What is the difference between BTM and FTM?
BTM stands for behind the meter: the battery works for your own power supply and lowers purchasing costs and load peaks. FTM stands for front of the meter: the battery works for the grid and the power market and earns revenue from balancing power and power trading. DUO combines both on one grid connection.
Who is DUO for?
For industrial and commercial businesses connected to the medium-voltage grid whose grid connection is not fully used in daily operations and whose electricity costs are driven by load peaks and grid fees. DUO is a large-scale storage system. Whether it pays off at your site is shown by the free potential analysis based on your load profile.
What does DUO deliver per year?
In the example with a 2,500 kW grid connection and two batteries with 1,000 kW and 2,000 kWh each, DUO delivers €442,596 after operating costs in the first year of operation with a purchase. With contracting, you receive 25% of that, i.e. €110,649 per year without your own capital. We calculate your figures from your load profile.
Who controls the two batteries?
An energy management system and a power meter measure continuously at the grid connection. They keep your site load and Battery 1 below the agreed limit. Battery 2 only uses the free capacity above it. Your operations always have priority.
Purchase or contracting: what is the difference?
With a purchase, you invest yourself and receive the full return of both batteries. With contracting, CUBE CONCEPTS invests in and operates both batteries, and you receive 25% of the net revenue without capital outlay, with a purchase option during the term. More on contracting
What changes from 2029 with AgNes?
Under the draft determination of the Federal Network Agency, the demand charge is abolished and you order capacity annually. The limit set by DUO is also the upper limit of your ordered capacity. You avoid drawing power at the higher energy price above your order.
Do I need my own PV system?
No. Without a PV system, only the self-consumption lever is omitted. The other levers of Battery 1 and the market revenue of Battery 2 remain.
What if market revenue declines?
With contracting, you bear neither capital outlay nor investment risk. Your share is based on the actual net revenue.
What about fire protection?
Sensors, extinguishing concept and safety distances are agreed with the insurer and the fire department. More on safety and fire protection

Related topics

Battery storage

Battery storage for industry and commerce at a glance

Peak shaving

How storage shaves load peaks and lowers demand charges

Which markets front-of-the-meter storage serves

Costs and ROI

What drives the investment and return of a storage system

CPFS

CUBE's phase model for unused grid connection capacity

As of November 2026 · CUBE CONCEPTS GmbH, Kaarst · Figures: example calculation for the first year of operation, Battery 2 revenue as an assumption within the range of €244,000 to €319,000 per MW · Regulation: Federal Network Agency, draft determination AgNes of August 6, 2026, Section 118 (6) EnWG, Section 19 (2) StromNEV

Your next step

Send your load profile – free potential analysis.

1

Send your load profile

Your load profile, electricity bill and grid connection contract are all we need

2

We calculate DUO

Design of both batteries for your site, purchase and contracting compared

3

Your proposal

With all figures, deadlines and the schedule for your project

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