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Why Use Containerised Battery Energy Storage

A growing number of companies are turning towards Behind-the-Meter battery storage as they look for solutions to an increasingly complex energy management picture. Here, we explore some of the benefits that battery storage can offer, whatever your organisation’s energy goals are, as well as why a containerised battery may be the best fit for your site.

Why Invest in Battery Energy Storage?

More than any other major energy technology available, battery storage has the potential to deliver significant improvements across all three aspects of the energy trilemma. Put simply, a battery energy storage solution (BESS) allows more intelligent decision-making when it comes to managing energy usage across a site. Twinned with an effective energy management software platform, these decisions can be made in real time by a sophisticated AI much more quickly than a human operator would be able to detect issues and react.

Increasingly, battery energy storage can fulfil the same role as traditional UPS systems, providing emergency power in the event that mains supply is disrupted. However, one key difference is that UPS typically experiences high levels of loss, around 10%, resulting in higher energy costs and associated carbon emissions. In contrast, battery energy storage not only experiences much lower losses, but is also able to deliver cost reductions and sustainability improvements.

Battery storage can make the biggest impact when it is used alongside other energy technologies. This includes being used alongside on-site generation, with our energy management software making intelligent decisions on the most cost-effective way to access and use energy at any given time. This means that excess generation on-site can be stored, then tapped into later to be used during periods of peak grid demand.

With the growth of high demand technologies such as rapid EV charging, battery storage can also play a key role in buffering this demand, such as when multiple vehicles are charging at once, rather than additional strain being placed on a site’s grid connection, as well as preventing the risk of exceeding agreed supply capacity, which can come with substantial financial penalties.

Even when used without other technologies, battery storage represents a range of standalone benefits, including improving a site’s power resilience and generating new revenue streams through engaging with grid balancing schemes.

Why Use Containerised Battery Storage?

Purchasing a containerised battery helps to minimise the potential disruption that comes with a major energy infrastructure addition. Battery systems are constructed off-site, in a completely self-sufficient, weatherproof container, then delivered to and installed on your site.

Contained within a standard 20ft, 30ft, or 40ft container, it is typically much easier to find space for a containerised battery on a site, rather than requiring an indoor location to protect it from the elements. Containers incorporate components such as fire suppression systems, HVAC and remote monitoring, ensuring that your battery solution operates optimally and safely at all times. Within a containerised battery, a specific project can be tailored and scaled to the specific needs and budget of a site.