How Murauer Stadtwerke Strengthens Grid Stability with Battery Storage

06.08.2026

The Murau Municipal Utility (Murauer Stadtwerke) are deploying a battery storage system with a capacity of 10 MWh and 4.8 MW of power to shave load peaks, make better use of regional energy, and increase security of supply in the local grid. ADS-TEC Energy is providing an integrated storage solution for the project, comprising two containers, a transformer, an inverter, and project-specific system integration.

Why municipal utilities need more flexibility in the local grid

Today, regional energy providers find themselves navigating decentralized generation, increasingly complex grid operations, and rising requirements for security of supply. The growth of photovoltaic installations, the shift toward renewable heating, and the electrification of transport are fundamentally changing load flows in local distribution grids.

For municipal utilities, flexibility has therefore become a core operational issue. Generation, consumption, grid load, and security of supply all need to be finely coordinated within their own grid area — both to avoid costly grid expansions and to maintain stability.

Starting point at Murauer Stadtwerke

Murauer Stadtwerke, based in Styria, is more than just an electricity supplier. As a regional energy producer and grid operator, the company — with around 67 employees — manages local energy supply across the board: from the electricity grid and district heating to smart-home and PV projects, right through to digital services as the largest internet provider in Murau.

The company is a strategic partner for local businesses, municipalities, and institutions in the region. For Murauer Stadtwerke, investments in innovative energy technologies aren't abstract market decisions — they secure the resilience and future viability of the entire region.

The battery storage system's roles within the grid

Working in conjunction with the regional infrastructure, the large-scale storage system takes on several tasks in parallel — a so-called multi-use case:

Peak shaving: During periods of maximum grid load, energy from the storage system is fed in to cut costly power peaks.
Grid stabilization: Frequency fluctuations caused by volatile feed-in are balanced out within seconds.
Blackout prevention: Power reserves safeguard critical infrastructure during large-scale grid outages.
Reduction of balancing energy: Discrepancies between forecast consumption and actual Injection into the market balancing portfolio are minimized, which lowers costs.
Optimization of regional load flows: Locally generated electricity is distributed intelligently to relieve strain on transformers and lines.

Technical implementation: 10 MWh of storage capacity for regional flexibility

The overall system consists of two self-contained storage containers with 5 MWh each — 10 MWh of usable capacity combined. System power output is 4.8 MW, enabling high energy flows in very short timeframes.

ADS-TEC Energy is delivering the solution as a turnkey system, including transformer, inverter, and other system components. In cooperation with 4INNION, ADS-TEC Energy is also supplying 4INNION's ReSCADA platform. This is what makes it possible to control the storage system across this full range of applications: municipal utilities get a platform that not only lets them monitor their storage system, but actually control all of the use cases described above.

The site's location directly next to an existing hydropower plant operated by the utility, along with an adjacent transformer station, minimizes transmission losses and creates logistical synergies.

How the storage system makes better use of regional hydropower and solar power

The storage system is charged specifically with energy from regional hydropower and local photovoltaic installations. Solar power peaks around midday, while hydropower output varies seasonally — and neither pattern lines up precisely with local consumption.

Without storage, surplus electricity would have to be sold off cheaply to the wider grid or, in extreme cases, curtailed altogether. With 10 MWh of capacity, that green energy can instead be stored temporarily and used when demand rises. This allows the utility to specifically reduce how much power it draws from the wider grid — strengthening energy self-sufficiency and keeping value creation within the region.

Why backup power capability and island-mode operation matter for municipal utilities

If disruptions occur in the upstream grid, the ADS-TEC Energy system can establish a stable, self-sufficient island grid within a very short time and provide the necessary voltage and frequency reference.

In practice, this means all grid customers in the balancing market— especially critical consumers such as medical facilities, schools, emergency services, and digital infrastructure — can continue to be reliably supplied even during large-scale outages. For municipal utilities, the battery storage system is therefore not just an economic asset, but a strategic building block for regional resilience and practical disaster preparedness.

Why Murauer Stadtwerke chose ADS-TEC Energy

For a project of this complexity, Murauer Stadtwerke needed more than an anonymous supplier simply delivering hardware — they needed a partner with a genuine understanding of the entire project lifecycle.

What convinced Murauer Stadtwerke?

"The fact that ADS-TEC Energy didn't act solely as a supplier, but developed a solution tailored to our specific requirements together with us. Thanks to the close, collaborative partnership, individual requirements — particularly regarding island-mode capability and security of supply — could be taken into account and implemented technically. This resulted in a customized solution that goes beyond a standard offering and is optimally suited to our needs," says Günther Staber, Managing Director of Murauer Stadtwerke GmbH.

The deciding factors were short coordination paths, direct communication throughout the tender process, and close support from ADS-TEC Energy's team of experts — from system design through to commissioning. Technical and organizational support from the parent company also helped ensure that regional value chains stayed tightly integrated.

Günther Staber sums it up: "What we particularly appreciate about our ongoing collaboration with ADS-TEC Energy is the ease of communication and close coordination throughout the project. The partnership works well, and we speak the same language, so to speak — which means questions get resolved quickly and effectively. From our point of view, this direct communication is a key factor in the success of the collaboration."

What other municipal utilities can learn from the project

The project in Murau carries signal value for the municipal energy sector across German-speaking countries. Four lessons stand out in particular:

Match the local grid situation: Large-scale storage systems only deliver value when precisely tailored to existing generation structures and the specific grid conditions on the ground — an off-the-shelf standard solution simply doesn't work here.
Leverage multi-use economics: Sustainable payback rarely comes from a single use case — Murau shows how combining several functions makes the business case robust.
System expertise over hardware price: For complex infrastructure projects, municipal utilities need partners with deep systems understanding — spanning design, software integration, and long-term service.
Think of storage as a control element: Battery storage is no longer just an add-on system. It becomes a flexible control element within the municipal energy system, actively linking grid, generation, and security of supply.

FAQ

What Municipal Utilities Want to Know About Large-Scale Storage

Peak shaving, grid stabilization, blackout prevention, and integration of regional renewables — as demonstrated at Murauer Stadtwerke, where a 10 MWh system with 4.8 MW of power output handles several functions simultaneously.
Island-mode-capable battery storage systems can disconnect from the grid and continue supplying grid customers independently — especially critical consumers such as schools, emergency services, and medical infrastructure.
Battery storage systems can shave load peaks immediately and reduce balancing energy needs — without years-long permitting processes. They don't fully replace grid expansion, but they're often the more cost-effective first step.
ADS-TEC Energy supports the entire system integration process — from design through software integration and commissioning, all the way to long-term service and operation. The project with Murauer Stadtwerke illustrates this model: an implementation partner rather than a pure component supplier.
Particularly when load peaks are driving up grid costs, renewable feed-in isn't being used optimally, or security of supply for critical infrastructure needs to be increased. Individual, project-specific design is always required.