German towns convert former power plant and paper mill to battery storage and data centre

In Hausham, Bavaria, the de‑commissioned gas‑powered plant will be dismantled without explosives; its two steel chimneys will be cut into three sections each and removed. The site will host a new battery‑storage facility delivering 44 MW (130 MWh) of capacity at an estimated cost of €40 million, with construction slated to begin in February 2027 and operation by autumn 2027.

In Nidda, Hesse, the former Ober‑Schmitten paper factory—closed after insolvency—has been bought by developer AidG GmbH. Plans call for a high‑performance data centre on the 1.65‑million‑euro‑acquired site, potentially using the existing spring that supplies 1.2 million m³ of drinking water annually for cooling. The project could involve investments up to €1 billion and aims to address growing demand for sustainable data infrastructure in the Frankfurt region.