Battery Energy Storage | Solar Energy

What is battery storage?

Battery storage technologies are essential to speeding up the replacement of fossil fuels with renewable energy. Battery storage systems will play an increasingly pivotal role between green energy supplies and responding to electricity demands.

Battery storage, or battery energy storage systems (BESS), are devices that enable energy from renewables, like solar and wind, to be stored and then released when the power is needed most.

Lithium-ion batteries, which are used in mobile phones and electric cars, are currently the dominant storage technology for large scale plants to help electricity grids ensure a reliable supply of renewable energy.

The Benefits of Solar Energy

Are you tired of rising power bills and the uncertainty of energy prices? Are you looking for a reliable and renewable source of energy for your home, business, or recreational vehicle? Look no further than the benefits of solar energy.

Solar power is the conversion of energy from the sun into electrical energy. It is one of the cleanest and most abundant sources of renewable energy available today.Making it possible to harness this energy for a wide variety of uses, including powering homes, businesses, RVs, boats, and even industrial equipment.

• Save on Power Bills

One of the most significant advantages of solar energy is its potential to reduce or eliminate power bills. By generating your own electricity, you'll be less dependent on your local utility provider, saving you money on energy costs in the long run. With the installation of solar panels, you can enjoy substantial savings on your monthly energy bills.

• Renewable and Sustainable

Solar energy is a renewable and sustainable source of power. Unlike traditional energy sources such as coal, oil, and gas, which are finite and non-renewable, solar energy is infinite and will never run out. This means that by harnessing solar energy, we can reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and move towards a more sustainable future.

• Zero Carbon Emissions

Solar energy is a clean and green source of power. Unlike fossil fuels, which emit harmful greenhouse gases when burned, solar energy produces no carbon emissions. By reducing our carbon footprint, we can contribute to combating climate change and protecting the environment.

• Low Maintenance

Solar panels require very little maintenance, making them a hassle-free and cost-effective investment. With proper installation and regular cleaning, solar panels can last for decades with little to no maintenance required.

• Less Dependence on the Grid

By generating your own electricity, you'll be less dependent on the grid. This means that you'll be less affected by power outages and other disruptions, giving you greater independence and reliability.

• Less Exposure to Rising Electricity Prices

Electricity prices are constantly rising, making it difficult for households and businesses to budget for their energy costs. By generating your own electricity, you'll be less affected by these price increases, giving you greater financial stability and peace of mind.

• Source of Income

If you generate more electricity than you need, you can sell the excess back to your utility provider, providing you with an additional source of income.

• Emergency Power When the Grid Goes Down

With the installation of a battery, you can have emergency power when the grid goes down. This provides you with peace of mind during power outages and other emergencies.

Why is battery storage important and what are its benefits?

Battery storage technology has a key part to play in ensuring homes and businesses can be powered by green energy, even when the sun isn't shining or the wind has stopped blowing.

For example, the UK has the largest installed capacity of offshore wind in the world, but the ability to capture this energy and purposefully deploy it can increase the value of this clean energy; by increasing production and potentially reducing costs.

Every day engineers at National Grid and electricity grids worldwide must match supply with demand. Managing these peaks and troughs becomes more challenging when the target is to achieve net zero carbon production. Fossil-fuel fired plants have traditionally been used to manage these peaks and troughs, but battery energy storage facilities can replace a portion of these so-called peaking power generators over time.

The UK government estimates technologies like battery storage systems – supporting the integration of more low-carbon power, heat and transport technologies – could save the UK energy system up to £40 billion ($48 billion) by 2050, ultimately reducing people's energy bills.

Prescott Hartshorne, a Director at National Grid Ventures in the US, says: "Storage enables further renewable generation, both from an operational and reliability perspective. It’s also a key piece of our utility customers' ongoing evolution and transition to renewables.”

How exactly does a battery storage system work?

Battery energy storage systems are considerably more advanced than the batteries you keep in your kitchen drawer or insert in your children’s toys. A battery storage system can be charged by electricity generated from renewable energy, like wind and solar power.

Intelligent battery software uses algorithms to coordinate energy production and computerised control systems are used to decide when to store energy or to release it to the grid. Energy is released from the battery storage system during times of peak demand, keeping costs down and electricity flowing.

This article is concerned with large-scale battery storage systems, but domestic energy storage systems work on the same principles.

What renewable energy storage systems are being developed?

Storage of renewable energy requires low-cost technologies that have long lives – charging and discharging thousands of times – are safe and can store enough energy cost effectively to match demand.

Lithium-ion batteries were developed by a British scientist in the 1970s and were first used commercially by Sony in 1991, for the company’s handheld video recorder. While they’re currently the most economically viable energy storage solution, there are a number of other technologies for battery storage currently being developed. These include:

• Compressed air energy storage: With these systems, generally located in large chambers, surplus power is used to compress air and then store it. When energy is needed, the compressed air is released and passes through an air turbine to generate electricity.
• Mechanical gravity energy storage: One example of this type of system is when energy is used to lift concrete blocks up a tower. When the energy is needed, the concrete blocks are lowered back down, generating electricity using the pull of gravity.
• Flow batteries: In these batteries, which are essentially rechargeable fuel cells, chemical energy is provided by two chemical components dissolved in liquids contained within the system and separated by a membrane.

Prescott Hartshorne says: “The next decade will be big for energy storage in general and for batteries in particular. It will be an important proving time for batteries and for other technologies.”

_{Last updated: 9 May 2023
The information in this article is intended as a factual explainer and does not necessarily reflect National Grid's strategic direction or current business activities.}