AugWind Energy To Install First Commercial-Scale AirBattery In Germany
Last Updated on: 1st July 2025, 11:17 am
Augwind Energy, based in Israel, will build the “world’s first commercial-scale AirBattery system” in Germany. The battery will use compressed air stored in salt caverns to generate electricity. The AirBattery system can store enough compressed air to generate gigawatt-hours of electricity.
The air is compressed using excess renewable electricity and can be stored for long periods — up to several months. Battery storage systems are generally used for relatively short bursts, about 2 to 8 hours, but mostly just up to four hours. Long-duration energy storage — meaning days, weeks, and months — is also needed to back up renewable energy generation.
Or Yogev, Founder and CEO of Augwind, answered some questions about the commercial AirBattery project in Germany for CleanTechnica.
What will the storage capacity be for the first commercial-scale AirBattery in Germany?
While we’re still finalising the exact specifications for our first commercial facility in Germany, our AirBattery technology typically has the potential to store enough compressed air to generate between 3–8 GWh of electricity in a single cavern. The final capacity will depend on the specific cavern we select and the particular needs of our German partners. [Editor’s note: The world’s largest compressed air energy storage system is currently a 300 MW/1,500 GWh system in China. It also uses a salt cavern to store the compressed air. —Zach]
What will the project cost be?
Much of the project costs will depend on the cavern’s specifics. The company expects that the first of a kind AirBattery module will cost between 7–15 million euros, depending mostly on the cavern pressure range.
What source of electricity will be used to compress the air in the AirBattery?
Our AirBattery system is designed specifically to utilise surplus renewable energy from the grid — primarily from wind and solar sources. This is really the beauty of our technology: we’re taking excess renewable electricity that would otherwise be wasted during periods of oversupply and storing it for when Germany needs it most. By using locally produced renewable excess electricity, we’re not only reducing stress on the electricity grid but also strengthening Germany’s independence from volatile international energy markets.
How can the salt cavern be sealed so no compressed air leaks?
The salt in the deep underground is highly condensed and pressurized by the weight above it. In fact, it is so dense that it is completely airtight. This unique characteristic has led to the use of solution mined salt caverns for safely storing compressed natural gas for over half a century. Multiple such caverns had also been in use for air storage in Germany, the USA, and China. Even much smaller and elusive molecules such as hydrogen and helium have been safely stored in solution mined salt caverns.
How long can the compressed air in a salt cavern be used as energy storage?
This is where our AirBattery technology truly shines. We can store energy for up to several months — a game-changing capability for addressing Germany’s ‘Dunkelflaute’ periods when solar and wind output is low. Theoretically, our system has unlimited duration potential, limited only by the volume of the cavern itself. This long-duration storage capability is exactly what Europe needs as renewable energy penetration exceeds 50%.
How long will it take to install and commission the AirBattery?
Once permitting is complete, we expect the above ground installation to take around 9–12 months, and commissioning to take another 3–6 months.
How many turbines will be used to generate electricity with the compressed air?
The first facility would include 3 or 4 turbines, generating 3–10 MW of power on average. The turbines will be similar to the highly efficient Voith Hydro turbine currently operating in our demonstration site.
How quickly can the AirBattery be used to generate electricity when there is demand?
Quite fast, but not as fast as lithium-ion. We couple the system with short-duration lithium-ion batteries for ancillary services and to provide a high-quality power profile.
Who will use your first commercial-scale AirBattery in Germany?
We’re currently working closely with a range of stakeholders including local cavern owners, utilities, energy traders, and industrial off-takers to finalise our partnerships. While I can’t announce specific customers yet, I can say that the interest from the German energy sector has been tremendous. Our goal is to become Europe’s preferred partner for multiweek storage solutions, and this German launch will demonstrate that long-term energy storage is not only technically feasible but economically sound.
What will the AirBattery’s cost per kWh be?
Our AirBattery technology offers exceptionally competitive economics at 10–15 USD per kWh for multiweek duration storage. This cost-effectiveness, combined with our minimal environmental footprint and use of locally sourced materials rather than critical minerals, makes AirBattery the clear choice for Germany’s energy transition needs.
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