Zenobe has acquired Bavaria-headquartered sdp energie, giving the United Kingdom’s largest owner and operator of transmission-connected BESS assets more access to the German energy storage market.
While financials for the deal have not been disclosed, the transaction brings together a gigawatt-scale portfolio of operating and pipeline BESS projects. Zenobe has 3.3 GWh of BESS in operation or under construction in the United Kingdom, while sdp energie has delivered roughly 700 MWh of BESS to ready-to-build status across 23 projects, according to the developers.
The transaction comes as Germany expands the role that grid-connected battery storage plays in providing electricity system stability services. Germany launched a new procurement mechanism for inertia in January 2026, creating new revenue opportunities for transmission-connected BESS.
Zenobe described markets for stability services as critical to integrating renewables with the grid in its acquisition announcement, and the developer said it will bring experience operating “some of the most technologically advanced battery storage assets” to one of Europe’s fastest-growing energy storage markets.
Zenobe commissioned the world’s first transmission-connected BESS project to provide full active and reactive power in early 2025, the 300 MW/600 MWh Blackhillock BESS in the Scottish Highlands. Blackhillock BESS is one of three transmission-connected BESS projects in Zenobe’s portfolio that successfully secured contracts through UK grid operator’s Stability Pathfinders 2 procurement mechanism.
Other major projects in Zenobe’s portfolio include the 200 MW/800 MWh Coalburn BESS, also in Scotland, which reach financial close in June 2026. The project secured financing from a group of leading international lenders, including Landesbank Baden-Württemberg (LBBW), ABN AMRO, Mizuho and Siemens Financial Services.
Jonathan Wagner, co-founder of sdp energie, noted Zenobe’s expertise in project financing as one of the benefits of the deal. “Germany is poised to become one of Europe’s most important battery storage markets,” Wagner said. “Bringing together sdp energie’s development platform with Zenobe’s global expertise in financing, delivering and operating battery storage creates a unique opportunity to help shape this market.”
James Basden, co-founder and director at Zenobe added that Zenobe intends to buy more transmission-scale projects and to work with leading offtaker providers. The company is actively recruiting personnel in Germany.
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