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Multi-Use Battery Storage · for Industry from 1 MW

More cycles ≠ more revenue. Multi-use is decided in the details of the control logic.

Three revenue streams in parallel on one hardware: FTM marketing for balancing energy and spot market, BTM optimization against peak loads and grid fees, co-location and self-consumption from MiSpeL mid-2026. The hardware is multi-use capable. The control system is multi-use optimized. The difference lies in the EMS, not the cell.

€200,000–€300,000
Gross Annual Salary
FCR + aFRR + mFRR + Arbitrage
2–4 years
Typical payback
BESS Purchase · KPMG Feb. 2026
~0.25 €/Wh
CAPEX up to 2 MWh
From 5 MWh: €175–200/kWh
August 4, 2029
§118 IBN Deadline
20 Years of Full Grid Fee Exemption

01 — Real Modeling

€320,100 cash flow in the AgNes-price-guaranteed corridor — 1.5-year payback. Status quo: €97,200.

CUBE-CONCEPTS Modeling at a real industrial site in Saxony. 1 MW / 2 MWh BESS, 1,895 kWp PV existing, 6,795 MWh annual consumption, peak load 1,284 kW, grid fee bill ~€310k/year. Modeling in three regulatory scenarios using real half-hourly load data.

Status quo (StromNEV 2026)

97,200 €

Total Annual Cash Flow

of which CUBE 75 %€72,900
of which customer 25 %24,300 €
Payback5.3 J.
Project Internal Rate of Return17,2 %
Net Present Value328,000€

Agnes Netzgeführt

226,500

Total Annual Cash Flow

of which CUBE 75 %$169.875
of which customer 25 %56.625 €
Payback2.2 J.
Project Internal Rate of Return58,6 %
Net Present Value1.66 million €
The lever

AgNes guided

320,100.00 €

Total Annual Cash Flow

of which CUBE 75 %240.075 €
of which customer 25 %€80.025
Payback1.5 J.
Project Internal Rate of Return94,0 %
Net Present Value2.70 million €

Multi-Use determines which regulatory constellation your investment falls into. A factor of 3.3 between the lower and upper limit — with identical hardware, identical control, the same location.

What do the three constellations mean? Status quo (StromNEV 2026)Current regulation with §19 Atypical - validity until December 31, 2028. Agnes Netzgeführt (Model B BNetzA): Storage follows network utilization signals — network-friendly flexibility. AgNes guided (Model A, BNetzA): Storage follows spot market prices — spot market-oriented flexibility. Both AgNes modes will be available starting January 1, 2029 (BNetzA regulatory decision GBK-25-01-1#3; final decision expected by the end of 2026).

Note on PV Inventory: The modeled location has 1,895 kWp of PV inventory – this impacts BTM cash flows (self-consumption optimization). Locations without PV continue to achieve FTM cash flows in full. Multi-use is fully PV-independent PV inventory amplifies leverage but is not a prerequisite.

Sources: CUBE-CONCEPTS Load Profile Modeling, April 2026 · BNetzA Discussion Paper, September 24, 2025 (Model A/B) · BNetzA Guidelines for Storage Grid Tariffs, January 16, 2026, and Feed-in Grid Tariffs, February 17, 2026 (AgNes GBK-25-01-1#3) · KPMG AG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft, Investment Case: Stationary Battery Storage, February 2026 (Assumptions Backbone)

03 — Control Logic

How does the controller automatically resolve three daily conflicts?

Multi-Use sounds simple. In practice, three conflicts arise daily that must be resolved automatically, without production intervention.

01

FCR Readiness vs. Peak Shaving Capacity

FCR requires a sustained ~50 % SoC — this ties up capacity that is not available for peak shaving. The CUBE EfficiencyUnit prioritizes hourly based on HLZ windows, load forecasts, and market prices. FCR results in only ~0.3 full cycles per day — minimal degradation with a significant contribution to revenue.

02

Arbitrage Window vs. §19 Paragraph 2 Sentence 1 HLZ Compliance

Favorable charging periods conflict with the distribution network operator’s peak load windows. Section 19: Atypical conditions apply if the annual peak load falls outside the peak load window—charging from the grid during peak load periods jeopardizes this condition. The CUBE EfficiencyUnit knows all peak load windows and automatically blocks charging processes. Proof can be exported directly. Deadline: June 30 of the following year.

03

Cycle Threshold: When is a cycle not worth it?

If the price range is smaller than the proportionate cycle costs (degradation + OPEX), the cycle reduces the overall margin. The CUBE EfficiencyUnit calculates the threshold dynamically and executes only profitable cycles. That is the difference between multi-use capable and multi-use optimized.

Multi-use capable vs. Multi-use optimized

Multi-Use Capable
Hardware Claim

The system has multiple operating modes technically. Manual switching. No automatic conflict resolution. AHU update is manual. FCR and Peak Shaving are not coordinated simultaneously. §19 compliance depends on operator decisions.

Multi-Use optimized
CUBE EfficiencyUnit

Automatic real-time prioritization of all revenue channels. HLZ window updated daily. Cycle threshold dynamically calculated. FCR-SoC breakpoint + peak shaving capacity simultaneously. §19 compliance automatically documented. From AgNes 2029 onwards: Real-time price signal reaction on the same platform.

Illustrative Daily Schedule of a Multi-Use Battery Storage System

22:00 – 06:00
Cheap charging

Low market prices. Arbitrage shop. FCR standby on 50 % SoC in parallel.

06:00 – 08:00
Morning ramp

Rising network load. Check §19-HLZ. Partial discharge for peak shaving readiness.

08:00 – 12:00
Peak Shaving Active

HLZ window active. Discharge at peak loads. §19 compliance automatically secured.

12:00 – 16:00
PV / Reload

With PV: self-consumption optimization. Without PV: favorable price windows for recharging.

16:00 – 20:00
Evening peak

Peak Shaving + Arbitrage Discharge. HLZ blocked — §19 Compliance active.

20:00 – 22:00
FCR / Standby

Control power standby. 50 % SoC. §19 annual documentation in progress.

Illustrative daily schedule — actual control is site-specific and responds in real time to market and grid signals. CUBE EfficiencyUnit handles all prioritization decisions fully automatically.

Next step

Control Logic Check: How much is your facility leaving on the table today?

Analyze load cycles

04 — Three Phases & Trajectory

From day-one FTM operation to full multi-use

Multi-use isn't a big bang, but a regulated escalation of monetization. Three phases on the same asset—without hardware changes.

01 Phase I - from IBN

FTM & BTM combined

FTM: FCR + aFRR + mFRR as a supplementary channel + spot market arbitrage via top-tier aggregator. BTM: Peak shaving against performance price & §19 Para. 2 Sentence 1 StromNEV (until 12/31/2028). Fully automated, no operational intervention.

→ FTM revenues €200-300k/MW/year + BTM leverage

02 Phase II — from mid-2026

PV Co-Location added

Ab MiSpeL: Hybrid storage (PV + grid) without loss of EEG feed-in tariff according to §19 (3b) EEG. For the first time, PV sites can combine arbitrage and EEG feed-in – without the previous either/or.

→ Self-consumption + FTM without loss

03 Phase III — starting in 2029

Consolidated tariff regime

Real-time reaction to spot price signals (price-driven) or grid load signals (network-driven). StromNEV expires 12/31/2028, AgNes will replace it. Full exemption for storage will be abolished - but working prices only on balanced quantities (storage losses).

→ Likely higher effective discounts than today

Regulatory Trajectory 2025–2029

The regulatory changes from 2025–2029 are not acting in isolation, but as a coordinated shift from feed-in to self-consumption. Each individual lever reinforces multi-use; none work against the model.

MomentHebelImpact on Multi-Use
since Feb 2025Solar Peak ActNegative prices → no EEG remuneration (~575 hours in 2025). PV sites need storage to ensure profitability.
18.07.2025Investment immediate programFederal Law Gazette 2025 I No. 161: 30% declining balance depreciation under Section 7(2) of the Income Tax Act (EStG) for all companies + an additional 40% special depreciation under Section 7g(5) of the Income Tax Act (EStG) only for SMEs with prior-year profits of €200,000 or less. Applies to BESS acquisitions from July 1, 2025, to December 31, 2027.
November/December 2025EnWG AmendmentOutdoor privilege §35(1) no. 11/12 BauGB as of 01/01/2026 (Bundestag resolution 11/13/2025 / 12/04/2025): Co-location storage with renewable energy plant from 1 MWh privileged; stand-alone storage from 4 MW with max. 200 m distance to substation. §11c EnWG: Storage = overriding public interest.
16.04.2026Industrial electricity priceEU state aid approval. KUEBLL: 91 sectors, 50 % reinvestment requirement in BESS/PV/efficiency (CISAF). Flexibility bonus of +10 % for 80 % reinvestment in demand response.
Q1 2026AgNes Landmarks BNetzAConsultation phase: BNetzA GBK-25-01-1#3 publishes guidelines on storage grid fees (January 16, 2026) and feed-in grid fees (February 17, 2026). Storage is addressed as the primary optimization tool. Final determination at the end of 2026.
Mid-2026MiSpeL determinationPhase II will be regulatory clean: Hybrid storage (EEG + grid power) without loss of remuneration according to §19 (3b) EEG.
February 2026 (RefE)EEG Amendment 2027Draft bill from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) has been publicly available since February 27, 2026 (as of January 22, 2026); agreement on the broad outlines reached between the CDU/CSU and SPD on April 22, 2026. Planned: Direct marketing starting at 25 kW, feed-in cap of 50 % for rooftop PV, two-sided CfD starting at 100 kW. Self-consumption becomes the key driver of economic viability—storage increases the rate by an average of 11 percentage points (Fraunhofer ISE).
01.01.2029Agnes StartPhase III active. StromNEV expires on 12/31/2028. Storage units only pay variable costs on balanced quantities (storage losses). Separation of financing vs. incentive component. Model A (price-led) and Model B (grid-led) from pilot operation.
04.08.2029§118-IBN-Deadline20 years of complete network charge exemption (§118 para. 6 EnWG). Not retroactive - thereafter expired entry door.

Source: BMWE August 2025 · BNetzA Consultation Paper 09/2025 + Guidelines on Storage Grid Fees (Jan. 16, 2026) and Feed-in Tariffs (Feb. 17, 2026) (GBK-25-01-1#3) · Federal Law Gazette 2025 I No. 161 (Immediate Investment Program) · EnWG / EEG / StromNEV · Fraunhofer ISE Dec. 2025 · Solar Peak Act effective Feb. 25, 2025 · BMWE Press Release on Industrial Electricity Prices, Apr. 16, 2026

05 — Investment Case

How does a gross spread of €200-300k become an FTM net of €145-245k?

Multi-use channel revenues are not gross revenues. Marketing costs and fixed OPEX must be deducted before the net result appears in the investment case.

FTM Gross Proceeds per MW/Year (FCR + aFRR + mFRR + Arbitrage) €200,000–€300,000
− Marketing costs (~10% of the spread, aggregator commission) -20,000–30,000 euros
- Fixed OPEX (Maintenance, Insurance, Transformer Station, Monitoring) -55 thousand euros
FTM-Net per MW/year €145–245k

FTM Gross Revenue 200-300 k€/MW/year: Market benchmark multi-use FTM (FCR + aFRR + mFRR + Arbitrage) based on current regelleistung.net auction results, spot market volatility, and KPMG-consistent assumptions (10 MW · 4-h profile · 2 cycles × 110 €/MWh margin). Specific revenues highly dependent on location, aggregator, market phase — site-specific modeling required.

KPMG Comparative Calculation — Stationary Battery Storage

Calculation assumptions: 10 MW BESS, 4-hour profile (40 MWh), 2 full cycles/day, €140/MWh selling price, €30/MWh purchase price, WACC 6 %, 20-year term. Comparison of the three key technologies.

9,5 %

Internal Rate of Return Lithium Iron Phosphate

NPV 601 kEUR · CAPEX 250 €/kWh

10,5 %

Zinc bromide

NPV 2.802 kEUR · highest IRR

110

LCOS LFP €/MWh

Minimum benchmark per cycle

104

LCOS ZnBr €/MWh

Lowest LCOS

Source: KPMG AG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft, “Investment Case: Stationary Battery Storage,” February 2026 (Figs. 8–10, p. 21). LFP: NPV 601 kEUR, IRR 9.5%, %. ZnBr: NPV 2,802 kEUR, IRR 10.5% %. NIB (sodium-ion battery): NPV 5,076 kEUR, IRR 7.2% % — highest absolute value with lower return. Values are based on a KPMG comparative calculation using identical input parameters.

CAPEX Bandwidth 2026

System SizeConfigurationCAPEX bandwidth€/kWh
1 MW2 MWh, 2-hour profile~500,000 €~0.25 €/Wh
5 megawatts10 MWh, 2-hour profile1.75–2.0 million €175–200 €/kWh
10 MW20 MWh, 2-hour profile3.5–4.0 million EUR175–200 €/kWh

Investment Immediate Program — Tax Levers 2025–2027

For BESS acquisitions between July 1, 2025, and December 31, 2027, two tax incentives with different scopes of application apply:

  • 1. Declining-balance depreciation up to 30 % in the first year (§7 para. 2 EStG) for all companies regardless of size. Specifically: up to three times the straight-line depreciation, with a maximum of 30% of the acquisition cost per year; in subsequent years, based on the remaining book value.
  • 2. Special depreciation under Section 7g(5) of the Income Tax Act (EStG) up to 40 % spread over up to 5 years only for SMEs with previous year's profit ≤ €200,000 (uniform profit limit according to JStG 2020, §7g para. 6 no. 1 EStG).

What does that mean for industrial companies? Medium-sized businesses and large corporations typically above the €200,000 profit threshold use only the declining balance depreciation (30% in the first year). The combination of the 70% first-year deduction for % applies only if the business remains below the SME threshold. A case-by-case tax review is recommended.

BESS qualifies as movable fixed assets. Sources: Federal Law Gazette (BGBl.) 2025 I No. 161 of 07/18/2025; §7(2) EStG; §7g(5) in conjunction with §7g(6) EStG. The information is for informational purposes only and does not constitute tax advice. More details: Investment immediate program — what it means for BESS →

06 — Location Profiles

Which revenue mix is suitable for which location profile?

Multi-use is not a one-size-fits-all strategy. What makes economic sense depends on grid connection, load profile, PV system, and planning horizon.

Location with peak load problem

The performance charge penalizes a single 15-minute peak for all of the following 12 months. Every kilowatt-hour saved at peak load has immediate, measurable value. BTM comes first — FTM added.

Location without peak load problems

Free grid connection capacity is the ticket to the balancing energy markets. Without peak load pressure, FTM is immediately the strongest lever. FTM comes first BTM follows in Phase III.

Profile 1 — Energy-intensive production with peak loads

Primary: Peak Shaving (BTM)

§19 para. 2 sentence 1 StromNEV (until 2028) as leverage · FCR supplementary from 1 MW system size · Connection usually medium voltage

Profile 2 – Industry with Substantial Grid Connection

Primary: aFRR + mFRR + Arbitrage (FTM)

€200,000–300,000/MW/year FTM revenue potential · BTM self-consumption in Phase III — free grid connection capacity is the entry ticket

Profile 3 - PV Location with MiSpeL Suitability

Primary: Self-consumption + Peak Shaving (BTM)

From mid-2026: BTM + FTM combined — hybrid operation without EEG loss according to §19 (3b) EEG

Profile 4 — KUEBLL Sector with ISP Authorization

BESS as ISP reinvestment

CISAF Reinvestment Requirement — BESS as Acceptable Consideration, Even in Contracting Without Own Investment

07 — Business Models

Buy vs. Contracting — A Decision About Investment Style and Profit Allocation

Both models meet the CISAF reinvestment requirement (50 % reinvestment). The difference lies in the contract structure—not the technology.

AspectBESS Contracting (CPFS)BESS Purchase
CapEx Customer0 €Full investment (CAPEX-Backbone)
Redeem customer25% of net proceeds from Day 1100% of all revenues and savings
Redeem CUBE75% of net market proceeds0 %
Balance SheetOff-Balance Sheet (IFRS)On-Balance
Contract StructureService and Profit Share AgreementSales contract + Maintenance contract
Reinvestment obligation KUEBLL✓ Fulfilled by CUBE-Investment✓ fulfilled through own acquisition
Hardware ownershipCUBECustomer

Both models are built on the same foundation: Vendor-neutral hardware selection, identical CUBE Open Book calculation, identical control phase logic. What differs is the contract structure—not the technology. Both models comply with the CISAF reinvestment requirement (50 % reinvestment).

08 — How Multi-Use is received in the business model

Multi-use doesn't start with storage—it starts with unused grid connection reserves.

Every industrial site pays for reserved connection capacity—including the power price, base fee, and grid fee. Most sites use only 30–50% of this capacity. CPFS turns this untapped reserve into a revenue stream—with no upfront investment, no hardware risk, and a 25% profit share for the customer starting on day one.

Reserved connection
capacity

Today: 30–50 % unused

Multi-Use BESS

FTM + BTM on an asset

Revenue stack

200–300 k€/MW/year Gross

Most providers ask ”how much can you invest” or ”how large is your roof area.” We ask: How much of your reserved, already paid-for grid connection capacity is unused today? Multi-use storage converts exactly this silent reserve — without having to apply for new grid connection capacity, without going through approval bottlenecks.

09 — What Sets Us Apart

Three points that differentiate CUBE CONCEPTS from hardware manufacturers and utility-scale providers

The German BESS market is roughly divided into two camps: hardware manufacturers selling their own technology, and utility-scale providers supplying investment funds. CUBE CONCEPTS is neither.

01
Manufacturer-independent

We issue tenders for every project—at least 3 comparative bids. No proprietary systems, no manufacturer lock-in. Hardware selection follows the load profile, not the catalog inventory.

Hardware manufacturers sell their own technology—that's their business model.

02
Open Book before contract signing

Full cost transparency before signing: CAPEX, OPEX, profit-share logic, marketing costs. No fixed price without a breakdown. You see what you're buying.

Fixed-price offers without a breakdown are common in the market.

03
€0 CapEx + 25% profit share (%)

CPFS Contracting for C&I customers: no upfront investment, no hardware risk, 25% of net market proceeds paid to the customer starting on day 1 — CUBE 75%. The CISAF reinvestment requirement (50% reinvestment) is met because CUBE bears the investment cost.

Utility-scale providers typically sell to investment funds, not industrial companies.

Based on 150+ completed energy projects across Europe. Reinvestment obligation: Commission Communication CISAF (Clean Industrial State Aid Framework) para. 121, Brussels 25.06.2025.

10 – Regulatory Levers 2026/2027

Six Levers Changing Multi-Use Economy 2026/2027

Multi-use is not a law of nature, but the result of current regulations. These six levers are the most important—and they do not act in isolation, but as a coordinated shift.

§ 118, Paragraph 6 of the Energy Industry Act (EnWG)

Partial network charge exemption

20 years of complete grid fee exemption on charged electricity – with installation up to August 4, 2029. Not purchasable retroactively. For each year of delay, approximately €25,000 per MW is lost.

§19 (2) Sentence 1 StromNEV / AgNes

Atypik-Privilege → AgNes 2029

Until 12/31/2028: Reduction of grid fees for load shifting outside peak hours. From 01/01/2029: AgNes replaces StromNEV. Storage facilities will pay energy prices only on net quantities (storage losses) — likely higher effective discounts than today. Model A (price-driven) vs. Model B (grid-driven) from pilot operation.

MiSpeL from mid-2026

Hybrid storage without EEG loss

Market integration of storage and charging points: Simultaneous EEG operation and FTM marketing without revenue loss according to §19 (3b) EEG. PV sites can combine arbitrage and EEG feed-in for the first time.

EEG Amendment 2027 (Draft Ref. Feb. 2026)

Direct marketing from 25 kW

Direct sales starting at 25 kW (currently 100 kW), feed-in cap of 50 % for rooftop PV, two-sided CfD for tenders ≥ 100 kW. Storage systems increase the self-consumption rate by an average of 11 percentage points (Fraunhofer ISE, Dec. 2025) — a key driver of profitability under the new remuneration regime.

CISAF Reinvestment Obligation (04/16/2026)

KUEBLL Reinvestment Obligation

Industrial Electricity Price Subsidy: 50% of the subsidy must be reinvested in measures to reduce electricity system costs (CISAF, EU, June 25, 2025) — BESS qualifies. 91 sectors are eligible for KUEBLL. BESS meets the requirement without customer CapEx.

EnWG Amendment Nov 2025

§11c EnWG + §35 BauGB

§11c EnWG as of Nov 2025: Storage facilities are considered projects of overriding public interest — Approval process simplified. Outdoor privilege §35 (1) No. 11 BauGB as of 01.01.2026: Co-location storage facilities with renewable energy systems from 1 MWh privileged in rural areas.

Sources: EnWG · StromNEV · BNetzA GBK-25-01-1#3 (AgNes Discussion Paper, September 24, 2025; Guidelines for Storage Grid Tariffs, January 16, 2026; and Feed-in Grid Tariffs, February 17, 2026) · BNetzA MiSpeL determination · BMWE EEG-RefE 2027 (public since Feb. 27, 2026) · Commission Communication CISAF, Brussels June 25, 2025

11 — Who markets at the market

Multi-Use-FTM marketing is handled by certified balance group managers.

An industrial storage unit cannot directly participate in FCR or aFRR. Marketing is carried out via certified balancing responsible parties (BRP) or Balance Service Providers (BSP) with their own direct TSO connection.

Industrial BESS

CUBE-EfficiencyUnit Controller

Vertically integrated aggregator

BSP Certificate + Trading Algorithms

Multi-Market Parallel

Ancillary services + EPEX Spot

Currently, there are approximately 40 BSP-certified companies in Germany (TransmissionCode 2007). Top-tier aggregators operate their own trading algorithms, are BSP certified themselves (instead of going through intermediaries), and market in parallel on the day-ahead, intraday continuous, and balancing energy markets. This vertical integration determines the revenue difference: those with their own software, operating their own data stack, and directly connected to the transmission system operators achieve outperformance compared to average market participants.

The CUBE CONCEPTS standard demands a vertically integrated aggregator with BSP certification, proprietary trading algorithms, and demonstrable multi-market optimization. A pure hardware sales structure without BSP certification or proprietary trading software does not achieve this depth.

Source: TransmissionCode 2007 · regelleistung.net · BSP certification according to transmission system operator requirements

12 — Safety & Fire Protection

What "multi-use" means in terms of safety

Reuse increases the cycle frequency, but not the safety requirements—which, in stationary LFP storage systems, are technologically independent of the operating mode.

Thermal Stability

LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) cells are cobalt-free and more thermally stable than other lithium-ion chemistries. Standard for stationary industrial storage.

VdS-certified fire protection concepts

Standardized fire suppression systems, surge protection, and temperature control in enclosed container solutions with a defined IP rating.

Standard-compliant grid integration

VDE-AR-N 4110/4120 (medium/high voltage), DIN VDE 0100-712, redundant BMS architecture, lightning protection IEC 62305.

The multi-use control system does not affect safety hardware—BMS, fire alarm, and fire suppression systems operate independently of the operating mode. An FCR system and a multi-use system have the same safety requirements.

13 — Definition of Terms

Multi-Use is Not Multi-Market — Why the Distinction is Economically Crucial

In the German BESS market, these terms are often used interchangeably. In fact, they describe different revenue models with different economic implications.

Multi-market

FTM Marketing Stack

  • Day-Ahead Trading — Orders for the next day
  • Intraday Continuous — short-term price fluctuations, 5-minute lead time
  • FCR (Primary Control Power) — ~0.3 full cycles/day
  • aFRR + mFRR Secondary/Minute Reserve
  • Negative spot prices — Load arbitrage in off-peak hours

Pure FTM optimization — storage is at the public grid, before the works meter.

Multi-Use

FTM + BTM on the same asset

  • All Multi-Market Revenue Streams FCR, aFRR, mFRR, Spot, Intraday
  • Peak Shaving (BTM) — based on performance
  • §19 Atypical Cases / AgNes Optimization Transmission charge reduction
  • Self-consumption optimization — with or without a PV system
  • USV / Island operation capability — Security of supply
  • Co-Location with MiSpeL — PV + BESS without EEG loss

Multi-Market PLUS BTM applications on the same system — that is the economic core of Multi-Use.

So, Multi-Market is a subset of Multi-Use. Anyone operating a purely Multi-Market storage system is leaving the BTM lever unused — peak shaving, §19/AgNes optimization, and self-consumption are not included there. The difference between Multi-Market and Multi-Use is precisely the BTM stack: significant for industrial sites with peak loads, regulatory grid fee levers, or existing PV.

14 — Industrial electricity price 2026

KUEBLL and CISAF Reinvestment Obligation - Why industrial companies are fulfilling the reinvestment obligation with BESS

The EU’s approval of the German industrial electricity price (April 16, 2026) is tied to the CISAF reinvestment requirement (50 % reinvestment): 50 % of the aid must be reinvested in renewable energy or storage.

KUEBLL authorization - 91 sectors

Compensation for electricity price and transmission grid cost subsidies for electricity-intensive sectors (iron/steel production, chemicals, aluminum, paper, glass, etc.). 91 sectors are eligible for subsidies. Prerequisites: Location in Germany, electricity intensity according to WZ classification.

Subsidy calculation — from 50 % to 50 %

Up to a 50 % discount on the wholesale reference price, applied to a maximum of 50 % of annual electricity consumption—with a minimum of 5 ct/kWh (50 EUR/MWh). Term: January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2028. Applications may be submitted retroactively starting in 2027 through the BAFA. Payment will be made in the following year.

Reinvestment requirement — 50 % under CISAF

50% of the aid received is within 48 months to reinvest in one of the following measures: Renewable energy plants (PV, wind), storage (battery, thermal), energy efficiency measures, electrolyzers, or electrification. BESS fully qualified.

Flexibility Bonus — +10 % Aid

The subsidy amount will be reduced by 10 % increased, provided the company demonstrates that at least 80% of the reinvestment obligation is allocated to measures aimed at increasing demand flexibility. Of this amount, at least 75% must be allocated to reinvestments. Multi-Use-BESS qualified directly Peak load management, self-consumption optimization, and FTM marketing are precisely the measures the bonus rewards.

How Contracting Fulfills Its Duty

In the BESS Contracting, CUBE CONCEPTS covers the entire investment. The customer’s reinvestment obligation is nevertheless met because the system is installed at the customer’s site and is operated by the customer using the subsidized electricity (in accordance with CISAF regulations, EU June 25, 2025). No capital investment required—with full compliance with subsidy requirements.

Source: Commission Communication “Clean Industrial State Aid Framework” (CISAF), Brussels 25.06.2025 · BMWE Press Release Industrial Electricity Price 16.04.2026 · BAFA Application Procedure from 2027 · KUEBLL Partial List 1, Annex I (CELEX:52022XC0218(03))

15 — References

150+ energy projects realized across Europe. ~100 MW BESS capacity currently under construction.

Selected industrial companies with which CUBE CONCEPTS has realized or is currently realizing PV and BESS projects.

TI Automotive

Magna

Valeo

Voestalpine

Tenneco

ITW

In preparation for 2026

Saxony Industrial Site — 1 MW / 2 MWh BESS, 1.895 kWp existing PV, multi-use modeling in three regulatory constellations

View Model

Pipeline Project

Thermal Management Solutions DE Oberboihingen GmbH (WAHLER) — BESS Contracting in development

The solar power system has been in operation since the summer of 2025. An industrial storage system based on the Contracting model serves as the third step in the company’s sustainability strategy. Manufacturer of high-quality thermostat and temperature control technology. Managing Director Holger Kiebel: *”Battery storage is the logical next step.”*

Read blog post

16 — Frequently Asked Questions

Multi-Use BESS — Answers for Decision-Makers

The twelve most frequently asked questions about multi-use, control logic, economic viability, and regulatory aspects.

With LFP, the facility loses 2.1 % of capacity per year (KPMG, Feb. 2026). The cycle revenue must exceed the proportionate degradation costs plus OPEX. FCR (~0.3 cycles/day) is almost always profitable—low stress, stable capacity price. The CUBE EfficiencyUnit performs arbitrage cycles only when the margin is positive.

€200,000–€300,000 FTM revenue potential per MW and year from FCR, aFRR, mFRR, and arbitrage (KPMG AG, Investment Case, Feb. 2026). This is location-independent - no PV system required.

IBN deadline: August 4, 2029. Battery storage systems commissioned by this date will receive a 20-year full grid fee exemption on charged electricity (§118 para. 6 EnWG). Planning lead time for existing connections: 6-12 months. New construction: 18-24 months.

Yes—provided the control system complies with Section 19. The CUBE EfficiencyUnit supports FCR-SoC (~50 %) and automatically suspends charging operations during HLZ windows. Both revenue streams run simultaneously without manual intervention.

From MiSpeL (BNetzA regulation, mid-2026), simultaneous EEG operation and FTM marketing will be possible without loss of remuneration. For the first time, PV sites can combine arbitrage and EEG feed-in – without the previous either/or.

The CUBE EfficiencyUnit logs every charging session and time period relevant to the HLZ with a timestamp. The annual report (deadline: June 30 of the following year) can be exported directly and is archived in an audit-proof format—no manual documentation is required.

Multi-Use-capable means: Hardware technically supports multiple modes. Multi-Use-optimized means: The control logic automatically prioritizes revenue channels, dynamically calculates cycle thresholds, and documents §19 compliance without manual intervention. The control logic, not the hardware, is crucial.

Yes. FTM-Multi-Use (FCR, aFRR, mFRR, Arbitrage) is completely PV-independent. €200,000–€300,000 of FTM revenue potential per MW/year arises exclusively from market arbitrage and ancillary services — without any self-generation.

Starting with AgNes (BNetzA BGK-25-01-1#3, effective January 1, 2029), dynamic price signaling will replace static HLZ windows. The CUBE EfficiencyUnit responds to both in real time—no new hardware or contract required.

LCOS (Levelized Cost of Storage) = Total costs per MWh stored over the lifetime. For LFP battery storage: 110 EUR/MWh (KPMG AG, Feb. 2026). Multi-use revenues from FCR and arbitrage typically exceed this value by a multiple — the LCOS is the minimum benchmark for any cycle.

The Immediate Investment Program (Federal Law Gazette 2025 I No. 161 of July 18, 2025) offers two tax incentives with different scopes of application: Declining-balance depreciation up to 30 % in the first year (§7 para. 2 EStG) applies to all companies. The additional Special depreciation under Section 7g(5) of the Income Tax Act (40% of the initial acquisition cost spread over up to 5 years) is on SMEs with previous year's profit ≤ €200,000 limited. Only when combined do they result in the often-cited 70-% first-year deduction—for medium-sized and large industrial companies above the profit threshold, only the 30-% depreciation applies. BESS qualifies as a movable fixed asset. A case-by-case tax review is recommended. More on this: Investment Immediate Program — what it means for BESS →

The EnWG amendment of November 2025 has set two levers for industrial BESS: (1) §11c EnWG designates energy storage systems as projects of overriding public interest – this strengthens their enforceability against competing interests in approval procedures. (2) §35 para. 1 no. 11 BauGB (effective January 1, 2026) explicitly privileges co-location storage facilities with renewable energy plants from 1 MWh in rural areas; no. 12 covers standalone storage facilities from 4 MW with a maximum distance of 200 m to a substation. Note: Energy Sharing according to §42c EnWG (effective June 1, 2026) is limited to non-commercial plant operators, SMEs, and municipalities and is not yet available to industry.

17 — Next Step

Analyze multi-use potential – location-specific

§118 Sec. 6 EnWG — Remaining time until commissioning deadline
1,187 days
August 4, 2029
IBN-Deadline §118
18–24 months
Planning lead time for new construction
~25,000 €/month
Opportunity costs for 1 MW

Submit your load profile. CUBE CONCEPTS calculates BTM and FTM potentials separately – based on KPMG-audited market benchmarks and the BNetzA guidelines on storage and feed-in network charges (16.01./17.02.2026). Open-book modeling in three regulatory constellations, free of charge, no commitment.

Submit last payment — free potential analysis

§118 not retrospectively acquirable — KPMG AG, Feb. 2026 · ~€25,000/month lost profit for 1 MW

Content and location notice

As of: 05/05/2026. All regulatory information (CISAF, KUEBLL, AgNes, MiSpeL, §118 EnWG, EEG Amendment 2027, Investment Acceleration Program) is based on published sources at the time of creation; determinations, legal ordinances, and EU notifications may change. Tax statements are not tax advice — individual case review by a tax advisor is required. Economic feasibility information (FTM revenues, IRR, NPV, Payback) are market benchmarks or KPMG comparative calculations and not guaranteed returns. Site-specific modeling is required.

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