“BESSt of BESS” meets suena energy – a look into the future of battery storage
- Pia Armbruster
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
Dr. Lennard Wilkening, CEO and Co-Founder of suena energy, is a guest on the latest episode of the podcast “BESSt of BESS.” In this monthly format, host Maximilian Hüls speaks with leading experts from the battery energy storage (BESS) industry about their career paths, their entry into the world of BESS, and their current business activities—with a clear focus on entrepreneurial challenges, innovation, and personal insights.
In the episode featuring suena energy, the discussion centers on the role of battery storage in the energy system, the current state of the market, and new business models that are emerging at high speed. Alongside Lennard Wilkening’s personal journey and insights into the technological DNA of suena energy, two topics receive particular attention—topics that are currently shaping the industry.
Co-location & green power storage: hybrid projects as the new standard
One of the key themes of the conversation is co-location. More and more project developers are no longer thinking about renewable generation and storage as separate assets, but rather as hybrid systems that jointly optimize generation, flexibility, and grid connection.
In this context, green power storage systems are gaining increasing importance. They are often planned directly alongside new solar parks and are increasingly becoming a standard building block in project development—particularly as a hedge against the cannibalization of solar revenues.
„Green power storage is particularly attractive for solar developers because it provides a natural hedge against the cannibalization of solar. If solar capacity continues to expand strongly and market values decline, storage tends to achieve higher spreads. If the situation reverses, storage earns less—but the solar park earns more again. This creates a physical hedge between the two.” – Lennard Wilkening
Where is the storage market heading?
A second major focus of the episode is the question of where the storage market is likely to be in the coming years. With a view to the German market—one of the most dynamic BESS markets in Europe—two key trends are discussed in particular:
Increasing cannibalization within existing markets, such as balancing services or intraday trading, which will be difficult to avoid in the medium term. At the same time, battery storage systems are increasingly becoming price-setting assets that actively shape market dynamics.
The emergence and growth of new markets and revenue streams, including inertia services, reactive power and voltage control, and, looking ahead, capacity mechanisms that remunerate security of supply.
Conclusion: a concise update for everyone shaping the BESS industry
The podcast episode with Lennard Wilkening combines technical depth with practical market examples—from green power storage as a physical hedge to new system service markets.
Anyone involved in BESS project development, storage optimization, or future business models in electricity markets will receive a concise and insightful update in under an hour on the topics that are shaping the industry today and will continue to do so in the years ahead.
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