BW ESS and ACL Energy have announced a major expansion of their partnership for the development of battery energy storage systems ( BESS ) in Italy. This joint effort, which began in February 2024 with three initial projects totaling 0.4 GW, has rapidly grown to encompass 14 projects, reaching a total capacity of 2.9 GW .
This expansion consolidates both companies as key players in the Italian stand-alone energy storage market. BW ESS, as part of the BW Group, brings decades of experience in energy infrastructure and long-term operations. ACL Energy, with its technical and commercial track record, contributes in terms of project development up to the construction stage.
Strategic focus on northern and southern Italy
The development of these projects is strategically distributed in the country’s northern and southern electrical zones. The projects in the north are designed to compete in the capacity market scheme, while those in the south are aimed at participating in the Mechanism for the Acquisition of Electricity Storage Capacity (MACSE).
Currently, more than 1 GW of this total capacity is being evaluated by the Ministry of Environment and Energy Security (MASE) , highlighting the progress towards the necessary permits to begin construction.
Roberto Jimenez, CEO of BW ESS, commented:
Our partnership with ACL Energy represents one of the largest BESS portfolios in Italy outside the utility sector. We are committed to contributing to the country’s energy transition by putting into operation projects that support a more sustainable and flexible grid.
Nicola Locascio, Managing Partner of ACL Energy, said:
This expansion marks a significant step in our mission to lead the energy storage sector in Italy. BW ESS’ global experience in storage positions us as a reliable partner for large-scale projects.
The role of BESS storage in Italy’s energy transition
The partnership comes amid the accelerated growth of renewables in Italy. According to Terna, the transmission system operator, the country added 5.7 GW of wind and solar capacity in 2023 and another 5.4 GW during the first nine months of 2024. This rapid increase underlines the need for advanced energy storage systems, such as those offered by BW ESS and ACL Energy , to ensure grid stability and efficiently manage the intermittency of renewable sources .
In addition to contributing to the decarbonisation of the Italian electricity grid , BESS projects play a key role in improving the responsiveness of the energy system to variable demands, stabilising the grid and enabling greater integration of renewable energy.
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Source and photo: BW ESS
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