Battery Storage

A battery energy storage system (BESS) is a device that allows energy to be stored and released when needed. Currently Lithium-ion batteries, the same technology used in handheld electronic and electric vehicle batteries, dominate the battery storage market.

Many battery systems use complex control systems to optimise how energy is used across a site, rather than simply storing it for later use. This allows intelligent decisions to be made on how energy is used on-site, saving money and reducing carbon emissions. Crucially, batteries form a key cornerstone of the changing energy landscape because they provide flexibility, allowing a range of other technologies to be used more efficiently.

Battery storage technology has a crucial role to play as the UK shifts away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy sources such as solar and wind. While renewable energy is plentiful in the right conditions, it is intermittent. Similarly, unlike traditional coal and gas-fired power, we can’t alter natural resources to meet levels of demand. Therefore, the ability to store energy during times of high generation, to be used later during periods of high demand, is vital to balancing our energy supply.

A BESS is also capable of providing site-wide energy resilience, vitally important for many organisations. If your grid supply is disrupted or cut off, your battery reserve will kick in instantaneously. This prevents blackouts, brownouts or other changes in electricity supply from disrupting your day-to-day operations.