• Environmental gains

Installing a battery storage system in a home or businesses powered by renewable energy reduces pollution, thereby contributing to the energy transition and combating the effects of global warming.

 

 

ACDC-C1-DC DC Charging Point

 

 

• Lower energy costs

Storing low-cost energy and consuming it during peak periods when electricity rates are higher allows a user to shift consumption and avoid higher charges, saving money. The savings are magnified when combined with solar power, which is free.

• Less dependent on the grid

Battery storage systems guarantee a continuous energy supply, even at times when the energy grid is unstable due to peaks in demand or extreme weather.

• “Always on” supply

The sun is not always “on.” A battery storage system works round the clock, and therefore compensates for any fluctuations in solar energy supply by storing any excess power in the system.

• Resilience

A battery storage system provides emergency backup in the event of a power outage, guaranteeing business continuity. 

A solar energy storage system is a technological solution in which batteries charge during the day when the sun is shining, and store and release power for consumption around the clock or on cloudy days. Battery energy storage is particularly effective when combined with solar energy, because solar energy storage mitigates the intermittent nature of renewable power and guarantees a steady supply of electricity. Modern batteries for a home or business solar energy system usually include a built-in inverter to change the DC current generated by solar panels into the AC current needed to power appliances or equipment. Solar battery storage works with an energy management system that manages the charge and discharge cycles based on real-time needs and availability. The main types of solar battery storage system are: photovoltaic, concentrated solar power, passive solar energy, solar thermal energy, building-integrated photovoltaics.

• Peak shaving, or the ability to manage energy demand to avoid a sudden short term spike in consumption
• Load shifting, which allows businesses to shift their energy consumption from one time period to another, by tapping the battery when energy costs more
• Flexibility, whereby customers can reduce their site’s grid demand at critical times – without changing their electricity consumption. Energy storage therefore makes it a lot easier to participate in a Demand Response program and save on energy costs

• Microgrids rely on batteries as a key component, because these grids need energy storage to enable them to disconnect from the main electricity grid when needed

• Integration with renewable energy sources, since batteries guarantee a smooth and continuous electricity flow in the absence of the availability of power from renewable.

The operating principle of a battery energy storage system (BESS) is straightforward. Batteries receive electricity from the power grid, straight from the power station, or from a renewable energy source like solar panels or other energy source, and subsequently store it as current to then release it when it is needed. When combined with software, a BESS battery becomes a platform that couples the energy storage capacity of batteries with the intelligence needed to deliver advanced management of energy consumption by harnessing AI, Machine Learning and data-driven solutions. This makes batteries a tool in the effort to offset climate change, because they enable a more flexible way of using energy that lets the user adapt to dips and peaks in demand and supply.

Most energy battery storage systems last between 5 to 15 years. As part of the ecosystem of solutions for the energy transition, battery energy storages are tools to enable sustainability and, at the same time, they themselves must be fully sustainable. The reuse of batteries and recycling of the materials they contain at the end of their life are all-around sustainability goals and an effective application of Circular Economy principles. Recovering an increasing quantity of materials from batteries and giving them a second life leads to environmental benefits, in both the extraction and disposal stages. Battery reuse also delivers economic benefits.

Enel X battery storage systems come equipped with our DER.OS optimization software, which is designed to work with all kinds of distributed energy resources and can easily be integrated into existing systems, such as solar photovoltaic systems. Regardless of whether a business already has such systems up and running in its facilities or needs to integrate them with a battery storage system, Enel X can create an effective solution for all energy scenarios.