Battery energy storage, and in particular lithium-ion storage technology, has established itself as one of the fastest growing clean energy technologies in the world in recent years. The growth of solar and wind energy over the same period has further driven battery storage take-up. Throughout 2023, battery storage was the fastest growing technology in the energy sector, with deployment doubling year-on-year. All of this has resulted in Fatih Birol, the Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, stating “if electricity is the future, then batteries will charge us towards it”.
Achieving net zero targets necessitates maintaining, if not accelerating, the rapid installation of renewable energy sources. To ensure grid stability and enable countries, regions, and individual organizations to manage supply and demand effectively, this renewable generation must be supported by battery energy storage systems.
The role that battery energy storage will play in the wider energy transition is becoming clear, but while many individual sites and businesses are also turning to the technology, many other potential customers are still unclear as to how a battery delivers commercial benefit. Previously, behind the meter battery storage was typically sold to generate additional revenue from grid balancing mechanisms. While that is still possible, the growth of grid-scale storage means that revenues are becoming significantly unpredictable.
Despite this, battery energy storage systems (BESS) offers a wide-ranging set of benefits to any organisation’s energy management efforts. Furthermore, Powerstar’s unique behind the meter BESS, offers an optional integrated uninterruptable power supply to enhance the offering, as well as an AI enabled Energy Optimisation System (EOS) to intelligently manage power flows. This allows for an robust commercial offering, despite unpredictable grid service revenues.
- Protect an entire site from the risk of power disruption using integrated UPS functionality
- Optimise the performance of existing technology and operate a cohesive energy management system
- Automated controls allow a battery to switch between roles depending on a site’s energy management priorities at any given time
- Store renewable energy generated on-site when generation conditions are plentiful, to be used later, such as overnight in the case of solar PV
- Buffer high-demand new technologies such as rapid EV charging from a site’s grid connection, unlocking projects otherwise hampered by grid constraint issues
- Replace existing emergency power systems, like older UPS technologies, with a more efficient, lower carbon alternative
- Charge the battery during off-peak hours when prices for grid-supplied energy are lower, as well as avoiding paying peak prices by using stored electricity
Finally, Powerstar’s EOS enables a battery to make real-time decisions to optimize energy usage across a site, doing so more quickly and efficiently than a human operator. Once integrated into existing energy infrastructure, a battery energy storage system continually works to ensure that your site’s energy supply is cost-effective, clean, and reliable.
