It used to be a challenge to store electricity on a massive scale.
Electricity was produced at power plants. It was used for residential and commercial buildings. The whole thing worked out, provided the supply and demand remained tightly coupled. As soon as they split, problems came up.
Those days have passed and are giving way to a new model today.
Battery Energy Storage Systems, or BESS, are changing the game in electricity management. Quietly. Rapidly. And that can have repercussions far beyond the energy sector.
BESS may appear at first sight to be very simple. When there is extra electricity available, the batteries are charged and when extra power is needed, the batteries are discharged.
This is the principle behind it.
The actual story lies in what follows.
Today’s power networks are like a busy airport. Planes come in at different times. Few things in life happen in a timely fashion. Air traffic controllers always regulate the movements to avoid chaos.
The same challenges are daily faced by electricity networks.
Solar farms could produce vast quantities of electricity at lunchtimes. Wind farms may generate the maximum electricity at the night time hours, well after midnight. Consumers, on the other hand, have demand patterns which are often not the same as generation schedules.
Much of that imbalance can be a headache and an expense if there isn’t storage.
But BESS brings to electricity what it has never had before – flexibility.
Too much energy can be stored up.
That one function gives the opportunities in the grid.
Consider solar power as an example. During the afternoon, when the weather is generally clear, the electricity generation may exceed local needs. Once, years ago, that energy would just be left unused. Now batteries are able to store it and keep it on board for the evening rush when families come home and electricity demands surge.
It’s similar to cooking ahead of time instead of cooking everything just before dinnertime.
The pressure drops. Efficiency improves.
The speed of energy systems is also fantastic with battery storage.
The increase in output from traditional generation facilities can take a long time. Batteries operate differently. They react very quickly. Stored energy can be released within seconds, in the event of an abrupt surge in demand or changing grid conditions.
This responsiveness is more and more valuable.
Power quality is of increasing importance. Millions of bits of data are processed every second in data centers. Precision equipment is essential to manufacturing plants. Hospitals have critical systems that are running 24/7. Interruptions, even for short amounts of time, can have significant effects.
It’s not on the radar when it comes to reliable electricity.
Reliable electricity is noticed by everyone.
This fact has elevated battery storage to the top of the priority list for both private companies and utilities.
Economics have also been a significant factor.
Back then, the large-scale battery projects were often accompanied by cost tags that would make investors squirm. The cost of batteries is no longer the only factor in play; it has become the issue of the day. Storage projects are coming to areas where they were not once thought of.
The figures are too difficult to ignore.
Governments are investing. Utilities are investing. Private sector investment is going on.
The momentum is going on.
Technological advances are fueling that growth. Presently, lithium-ion batteries are mainly used, because they have been proven to perform well and are widely available. Meanwhile, the search is on to alternatives that could provide a longer operating life, lower cost, or greater suitability to a particular application.
The dynamics of innovation does not remain constant.
Installations of battery storage technologies are likely to be quite different in the future.
Another stimulus to the growth of BESS interest is the electric vehicle. There are changing trends in demand as people begin to move from gas to electric. The demand for charging stations is high, especially during peak hours. This demand can be met with energy storage without straining local infrastructure.
The resilience factor is also a factor to take into consideration.
The power systems have been vulnerable in numerous areas due to storms, heatwaves, wildfires, and other disturbances. Battery storage can be used as a critical facility and help boost local energy security during emergencies.
In cases of unexpected events, stored electricity can be a great asset.
One of the most interesting aspects of BESS is that it’s rarely mentioned.
Solar panels are noticeable and therefore, they are a cause for admiration. Wind Turbines are dominant on the skyline. Battery installations, in contrast, are more likely to be in the background.
Despite this, they are increasingly becoming one of the most critical components of contemporary energy infrastructure.
As in a theater production, their role is so natural that it’s easy to take for granted. The focus is on something else. All eyes are on the star of the show.
Meanwhile, behind the scenes, everything keeps on running without anybody doing the dirty work.
It is this role that energy storage company BESS is now taking on in this current energy landscape. It stores power. It adjusts the supply and demand. It supports reliability. With the continuing growth of electricity demand, its role is sure to continue to increase in parallel.