From around the world: Swiss developer begins construction of a 1.6 GWh redox battery project

Flexbase Group has started construction of a facility that could become one of the largest batteries in Europe. Construction of an 800 MW/1.6 GWh redox battery has begun in Laufenburg, Switzerland. It is expected to be completed in mid-2028.

The project combines utility-scale storage with an AI-powered data centre and a district heating network in an ambitious multifunctional complex.

The Swiss developer began work on the technology centre this month after obtaining regulatory approvals, with commercial operation planned for summer 2028. The facility will occupy 20,000 square metres at a network interconnection hub in Laufenburg, located at the intersection of the Swiss, German and French transmission grids with 41 cross-border lines.

Raphael Schmid, marketing director at Flexbase, declined to disclose who the supplier of the battery storage system is. The company is also keeping the exact investment costs under wraps. However, a report in the Badische Zeitung newspaper refers to a ‘billion-euro project’.

The 1.6 GWh capacity significantly exceeds typical energy storage projects for public utilities.

By way of comparison, the largest battery facilities currently in operation in the UK have a capacity of 320 MWh, while most grid-scale projects in Germany range between 50 and 200 MWh. Even on a global scale, the Laufenburg project would be one of the largest storage facilities in the world at a single location.

Redox flow technology offers significant advantages for long-term applications as it uses liquid electrolytes, typically based on vanadium or bromine. With a water content of 75%, the systems are considered non-flammable, addressing safety concerns that plague some lithium-ion installations.

An integrated approach sets Laufenburg apart from typical storage projects. A co-located data centre with artificial intelligence will generate waste heat that will supply a district heating network serving the city and surrounding communities within a radius of several dozen kilometres, as well as industrial plants with high heat requirements.

Flexbase expects the combined facility to create 300–350 jobs locally. The strategic location leverages Laufenburg's role as a Central European distribution hub with direct connections to several transmission networks, potentially maximising the storage system's revenue opportunities through cross-border arbitrage and distribution network services.