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Peak Shaving · §19 atypical grid usage · Load Shifting · Demand charge

Cutting load peaks: lowering the demand charge with Peak Shaving & §19

A single 15-minute load peak sets your demand charge for the following 12 months. A battery storage system shaves it fully automatically.

Peak shaving uses a battery storage system to lower the demand charge in the grid fee: the storage system covers short load peaks from the battery, so the highest 15-minute load of the year falls. Because this one peak sets the demand charge for twelve months, every kilowatt avoided pays off all year. In addition, the storage system can enable atypical grid usage under §19 StromNEV, which expires at the end of 2028.

up to 80 %
Grid fee savings §19
60–440 €
Leistungspreis/kW/Jahr
by grid operator & region
31.12.2028
§19 atypical grid usage expires
last application 09/30/2028
August 4, 2029
§118 commissioning deadline
20 years of grid fee exemption
§118 IBN deadline: August 4, 2029 — 1,221 days · §19 final application: September 30, 2028 — 913 days
Analyze your load profile — free →
Free · 1–2 weeks · No commitment · §118 planning lead time: 6–12 months (existing connection) · avg. 40 months (new connection) · ~16,000–25,000 €/month in lost §118 benefit for 1 MW (KPMG AG, Feb. 2026)
Mechanism

How peak shaving and §19 structurally lower grid fees

Grid fees account for ~40 % of the industrial electricity price. The largest part is determined by a single 15-minute spike — for all of the following 12 months.

Peak Shaving — Capping Load Peaks

The battery storage system automatically discharges when a peak load is imminent. The 15-minute average remains below the billing threshold → The demand charge permanently decreases.

Effect from commissioning – no production intervention. Demand charge = grid fee component based on the highest 15-minute average in the billing year.
RLM companies (§17 Para. 6 StromNEV · ene’t GmbH, Jan. 2024)
Load Shifting - §19 Atypical Grid Usage

Automatic shifting of load to time windows outside the grid operator's peak load times (HLZ). Prerequisite for §19 Paragraph 2 Sentence 1 of the StromNEV (Electricity Grid Fee Ordinance).

The CUBE EfficiencyUnit coordinates peak shaving and load shifting fully automatically — §19 compliance always takes precedence over FTM marketing.
§19 compliance documented · Peak shaving effective from day 1 of commissioning
Fully automatic. No intervention in production operations. §19 compliance is documented in an audit-proof manner.
Qualification

Who qualifies for §19 atypical grid usage?

Three basic requirements — CUBE BatterySizer checks all three free of charge from your load profile.

01
RLM meter
From ~100,000 kWh annual consumption. Registering power measurement — prerequisite for load profile analysis and §19 application.
02
Usage hours > 2,500 h/year
Annual consumption ÷ Peak annual load. The load profile must be uneven.
03
Uneven load profile
Inrush currents, shift work, e-fleets, seasonal peaks. The more pronounced the peak, the greater the leverage.
§19 Paragraph 2 Sentence 1 StromNEV — Deadlines
Minimum displacement ≥100 kW
Threshold of insignificance ≥ €500 per year
Application deadline: September 30th of each year
Data submission June 30th following year
Expires31.12.2028
up to 80 %
Grid fee savings possible
Max. cumulative amount until 2028 (3 application years): €480,000
Check §19 qualification — free →
CUBE BatterySizer checks your load profile — 1–2 weeks, no commitment
Who is Peak Shaving relevant for?

Which profile applies to you?

Energy procurement & grid fee costs
“How much does peak shaving save specifically—with our load profile and our grid operator tariff?”

CUBE BatterySizer analyzes your 15-minute load profile: peak height, distribution across the peak load time windows, §19 qualification, suitable storage dimensioning — all levers with Euro amounts.

Free · 1–2 weeks · no commitment
Investment decisions & clear financial statements
“How robust is the business case – and how do we book that?”

Open-book costing based on your load profile data. CUBE BatterySizer calculates over 250 operating scenarios specific to your location. Off-balance sheet options according to IFRS available. Auditable, decision-ready.

Open-Book · 250+ Variants · IFRS
Operational reliability & availability
“How does storage impact our production processes?”

Not at all. The CUBE EfficiencyUnit operates fully automatically—without any intervention in the PLC, control system, or production control. Peak shaving runs in parallel, transparently, and is documented in an audit-proof manner.

No production intervention · Fully automatic
Typical Industries
“Does that fit our location?”

Production & Automotive Suppliers · Logistics with electric fleets · Food processing & cold-chain logistics · Steel & metal processing. What they have in common: pronounced peak loads, RLM meters, §19 potential.

RLM Meter · Peak Loads · §19 Potential
Profitability

Three factors determine the business case

01
Demand charge

60–440 €/kW/year depending on the grid operator, grid level and region. The leverage: each kW of peak load shaved saves this amount permanently.

02
Peak load profile

Magnitude and frequency of the 15-minute peak. The rarer and higher the peak, the greater the peak-shaving potential.

03
Storage Sizing

Load to be cut [kW] × Peak duration [h] × Safety factor = Minimum capacity [kWh]. CUBE BatterySizer calculates over 250 operating variants.

Practical example — CUBE Project experience · anonymized C&I practical example
Starting situation
Annual peak 3,811 kW
Performance prize €142.87/kW/year
Network-level medium voltage
Result after peak shaving
Peak after BESS 2,975 kW (−836 kW)
Peak Shaving Savings €119,415/year
§19 Atypic (illustrative) up to €160,000 per year
CUBE CONCEPTS Project Experience · Anonymized C&I Case Study · Real Project — Open Book Before Your Decision
LCOS Reference Values — Manufacturer Tender (KPMG AG, Feb. 2026)
LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate)
110 €/MWh
Market Standard BESS
ZnBr (Zinc Bromide Flow)
104 €/MWh
Long-term operation
Sodium-ion battery (NIB)
Under observation
Sodium-ion technology
Manufacturer-independent tender — min. 3 comparative offers, LCOS-rated. No vendor lock-in.
Calculate Peak Shaving Potential
CUBE BatterySizer calculates over 250 operating variants based on your load profile — free of charge
Regulatory window

The regulatory window is closing — two deadlines, one decision

Scenario A — Invest Now
§19 for 2026 + 2027 + 2028 · AgNes seamless · §118 secured
✓ 3 §19 claim years (up to €480,000 in savings)
✓ 20 years of grid fee exemption under §118
✓ AgNes automatically active from 2029
Scenario B — Wait and See
§19 application years lapse · AgNes unusable without BESS
✗ §19 application years lost — not recoverable
✗ §118 permanently lost after August 4, 2029
✗ AgNes without BESS = structural cost disadvantage
31.12.2025
BK4-22-089 expired — concerns §19 (2) sentences 2–4 / baseload, not §19 sentence 1 atypical grid usage
April 2025
§14a EnWG: time-variable grid fees mandatory — transitional phase 2026
30.09.2026
§19 Atypical Grid Usage: Application Year 2026 — Deadline
End of 2026
AgNes determination by BNetzA
30.09.2028
Last §19 application under StromNEV — cumulative savings of up to €480,000 possible
31.12.2028
StromNEV ends — §19 in its current form expires
01.01.2029
AgNes in force — dynamic time-variable grid fees (BNetzA GBK-25-01-1#3)
August 4, 2029
§118 commissioning deadline — 20 years of grid fee exemption. Not retroactive. Cannot be extended.
§19 + AgNes — Seamless Transition: Those who are already set up can use §19 and AgNes on the same system without changing hardware. The CUBE EfficiencyUnit switches over automatically.
Full Service by CUBE CONCEPTS

What CUBE CONCEPTS Takes On — From Analysis to Ongoing Operations

01
Load profile analysis

CUBE BatterySizer: Peak height, peak load time windows (HLZ), §19 qualification, sizing.

Free · 1–2 weeks
02
Manufacturer tender

Manufacturer tender — manufacturer-independent, min. 3 offers, LCOS-rated. No vendor lock-in.

2–4 months
03
Construction & commissioning

Installation, grid connection, CUBE EfficiencyUnit configuration.

3–6 months
04
Annual §19 process

BNetzA notification K5RIDS1 by September 30 · Actual data report K5RSMS1 by June 30.

Annually · Full-Service
05
Running operations

Fully automatic peak shaving, 24/7 monitoring, §19 compliance documented.

20+ years
06
AgNes 2029

Automatic transition of the CUBE EfficiencyUnit to dynamic price signals — no system change required.

Automatic · seamless
Financing models

Contracting or purchase — on the same foundation

Both models: manufacturer-independent tender (at least 3 offers, LCOS-rated), no vendor lock-in.

BESS Contracting
0 € CAPEX

CUBE fully finances and operates the system. Off-balance sheet according to IFRS. 25 % of net market revenue from day 1. CUBE bears investment and operational risk.

→ Contracting in detail
BESS Purchase
Full control

Turnkey, ownership from commissioning. All savings go directly to the company. CUBE optional as O&M partner. Payback 2–4 years via FTM revenues (KPMG AG, Feb. 2026).

Purchase in detail
Our open-book costing is not a bargaining chip—it is the foundation on which our partnership is built. Every assumption, every line item, every revenue stream: transparent. Open-book means transparency within the business relationship—not public disclosure of project data. CISAF para. 121: BESS qualifies as consideration for the industrial electricity price—even in Contracting without CAPEX.
Additional leverage — industrial electricity price in 2026

Does peak shaving qualify as a consideration under the industrial electricity price?

Relevant if your company is on the KUEBLL list: Companies that receive state subsidies to reduce electricity costs must reinvest 50 % of the aid in decarbonization or flexibility measures. Battery storage is explicitly recognized.

50%
Consideration ratio
the KUEBLL subsidies must be reinvested — BESS fully meets this requirement
+10%
Flexibility bonus
on aid amount for ≥80 % investment in demand flexibility
CISAF para. 121
Legal basis
BESS recognized as consideration — also for Contracting (0 € CAPEX)
Typical objections

The most common objections—answered directly

“§19 expires in 2028 — is the investment still worth it?”
Peak Shaving works regardless of §19. The demand charge savings (60–440 €/kW/year) are permanent — independent of regulation. §19 is the additional lever until 2028. From 2029, AgNes will take over with dynamic price signals. Those who invest now will benefit from both regimes.
“We do not have a pronounced peak load.”
The CUBE BatterySizer checks this based on your load profile — free of charge, in 1-2 weeks. The analysis frequently identifies peaks that are not visible internally: inrush currents, shift changes, seasonal peaks. If the analysis shows no economically relevant peak: no offer, no commitment. The analysis costs nothing — and we tell you the truth.
“We don't want any debt on our balance sheet.”
With CPFS BESS Contracting, the investment remains entirely with CUBE. Off-balance sheet according to IFRS. No capitalization. 25 % of net market revenue from day 1 — no CAPEX, no balance sheet risk.
“Can we combine peak shaving and FTM revenues?”
Yes—but priorities matter. Section 19 compliance and peak shaving always take precedence. FTM (FCR, aFRR, mFRR as a supplementary channel, arbitrage) only runs outside the peak load time windows. The CUBE EfficiencyUnit coordinates this fully automatically, without any intervention in production.
Market-standard provider
Hardware focus — peak shaving parameterized, manual updating of peak load time windows
§19 process is with the customer
FTM and Peak Shaving not simultaneously coordinated
Provider Portfolio-Based Calculation
CUBE CONCEPTS System Focus
✓ Peak load time windows updated daily, fully automatic
✓ §19 Process Full-Service by CUBE
✓ FTM + Peak Shaving simultaneously, conflict resolution automatic
✓ Open book based on your load profile
References

Tier-1 References — On the Same Foundation

Over 150 completed solar projects, Europe-wide multi-site rollouts, Tier 1 industry references. Now battery storage — on the same foundation, with the same standards.

€119415
Savings/year — real CUBE project
~100 MW
Battery storage capacity currently under construction
150+
European PV energy projects
TI Automotive
Magna International
Valeo
Voestalpine
Tenneco
ITW
Energy projects throughout Europe · Anonymized, references available on request

Companies such as TI Automotive, Magna International and Voestalpine — all with strict IFRS and governance requirements — trust CUBE CONCEPTS as their energy partner. The basis: Open-book calculation, manufacturer-independent tender, 25 % profit share without CAPEX risk.

Does your location also qualify
Frequently Asked Questions

Peak Shaving & §19 — Answers for decision-makers

The battery storage system automatically discharges in anticipation of a peak load. The 15-minute average remains below the billing threshold, and the demand charge permanently decreases. No production intervention is required; effective from commissioning.
Section 19(2), sentence 1 of the StromNEV applies if the annual peak load falls outside the peak load period of the local distribution network operator. Grid fee savings of up to 80 % are possible. Application deadline: September 30 of each year. Expires: December 31, 2028.
60–440 €/kW/year depending on the grid operator, grid level, and region. A single 15-minute peak sets this price for all subsequent 12 months—regardless of whether it repeats.
CUBE BatterySizer calculates this site-specifically from load profile data. CUBE reference project: 3,811 kW annual peak, demand charge €142.87/kW/year, savings of €119,415/year through peak shaving.
AgNes comes into force on 1 January 2029 — dynamic time-variable grid fees (BNetzA GBK-25-01-1#3). The CUBE EfficiencyUnit responds automatically to AgNes signals. No hardware change required.
RLM meter (from ~100,000 kWh/year), usage hours >2,500 h, irregular load profile. Minimum load shift ≥100 kW, de minimis threshold ≥500 €/year. CUBE BatterySizer checks for free.
Full-service: free load profile analysis, manufacturer tender (min. 3 offers, LCOS-rated), construction and commissioning, annual §19 process (K5RIDS1 by 09/30), 24/7 operation, AgNes conversion 2029.
Yes. Section 19 compliance and peak shaving always take priority—FTM (FCR, aFRR, mFRR as a supplementary channel, arbitrage) only runs outside the peak load time windows. CUBE EfficiencyUnit coordinates this fully automatically.
Next step

Analyze peak shaving potential - location-specific and free

Submit your 15-minute load profile. CUBE BatterySizer calculates demand charge potential, §19 qualification, and storage dimensioning across 250 operating variants — free of charge, no commitment.

§19 last application: 09/30/2028 — 913 days
§118 commissioning deadline: August 4, 2029 — 1,221 days
Submit load profile — free potential analysis →
§118 not retroactively obtainable · §19 expires 12/31/2028 · KPMG AG, Feb. 2026
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