Battery Energy Storage Systems: grid stability and reliability

BESS facilities consist of battery storage systems and electricity grid connection equipment. The power from the batteries is then connected to an onsite switchgear room that is housed within a green building similar to a storage container which would then be connected to a substation via underground cables. The facility is monitored and secured with fencing.

• BESS, especially together with renewables responds to the climate crisis and the urgent need to decarbonize and stabilize energy supply, underpinning the move to a cleaner environment and a greener economy. 
• BESS facilities help to provide a constant supply of renewable energy to homes and businesses in local areas, as well as securing our energy infrastructure.During periods of low demand, battery storage systems efficiently retain excess electricity for release during peak times, mitigating grid strain and fostering long-term cost reduction for end-users.
• Batteries also underpin the country’s ability to further our security of supply capabilities. These systems not only enhance stability and flexibility within the electricity grid but also provide resilience to the energy market amidst unpredictable global events and market fluctuations. 

The production of solar and wind energy varies depending on the weather. As renewables’ share of overall energy mix increases, grids must ensure stable supply even at peak times. Storage solutions offer crucial flexibility: they store power in times of low demand, releasing it again when demand is high.

Noise Assessments are conducted at an early stage to inform the scale and design of our BESS developments. This ensures the avoidance and mitigation of unacceptable noise levels in the immediate surrounds and to ensure full compliance with the planning and operational conditions which govern the operation of BESS projects.

Safety at BESS facilities, in particular fire safety is something we consider during each stage of our development, design, and procurement activities. Each battery storage container is fitted with internal sensors that detect smoke, high temperatures, and flammable gasses. Battery storage systems used by BayWa r.e. have the highest safety standards on the market. Specialised fire suppression systems are part of all battery storage systems and in the very unlikely event of a fire the battery will be immediately shut down and fire extinguishing measures are automatically released.

As storage devices, lithium-ion (li-ion) batteries have a high energy density and lose little capacity with frequent charging. About 90% of stored energy is recovered and used again. Li-ion batteries are scalable; systems can be of any size, thanks to a modular design. They’re also more widely available, therefore more cost-efficient. 
Our development teams are always exploring new technologies. We’re in close contact with manufacturers to diversify our technology portfolio. Sodium-ion batteries, for example, have potential to compete with li-ion. Realising this potential represents a big step forward, making batteries less resource-intensive and with more localised value chains. 

Very! Large-scale BESS reduce need for expensive grid expansions. By combining high efficiency and fast reactivity, they balance short-term differences between supply and demand. They also enable renewables to be integrated into the electricity grids more reliably and widely. In future, we’ll see a diversified landscape of storage solutions used to enable the move to net zero.