Solar Battery Storage

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We specialise in solar battery storage solutions for businesses, helping you better manage your electrical consumption through the use of renewables and associated technology onsite. We can also connect home owners with a trusted installation partner for domestic solar battery storage.

Commercial solar battery storage

We offer a full turnkey solution for solar battery storage that includes analysing your suitability and opportunities, specifying the right technology/solutions and installation. We have strong relationships with some of the World’s biggest technology brands to deliver industry leading solutions and expertise to your business. Batteries can be installed as part of a wider energy strategy with solar PV or as a stand-alone solution that creates an additional income stream by providing a dynamic response service to the grid. Continue reading below for more details.

Domestic solar battery storage

Domestic solar battery storage solutions are generally only viable with arrays larger than 3.5 kWp. If installing with an existing array, daily generation meter readings (half hourly is preferred) and export data may be required to assess your suitability. Complete our enquiry form for a call back from our trusted domestic installation partner.

Why install battery storage?

A battery storage installation helps your business better manage its electricity consumption. By utilising your electrical connections, your business has a number of options:

Batteries integrate with renewable generation such as solar PV, acting as a store for surplus electricity generated onsite rather than exporting it. In certain circumstances, a battery can be used to reduce costs of upgrading the grid if the local infrastructure needs to be upgraded to support business growth for connecting new renewable systems.

You can also seek additional revenue from a battery, using it purely as an income generator, or you might use it for your own benefit, modulating your use of grid electricity to reduce costs. Alternatively, you may use a combination of the two.

Visit the following link for more battery storage FAQ’s.

Onsite solar battery storage benefits

When connected to your site’s infrastructure, commercial batteries can protect your business against future energy price rises, peak energy prices and business interruption through the following ways;

Renewable firming

Due to passing clouds and varying weather conditions on a typical day, solar electricity generation will fluctuate frequently during daylight hours. By incorporating battery storage, your business can create a controlled output and smooth generation profile by storing green energy above a certain generation (kW) in the battery. This energy can then be released back in to the business during other times when the solar is no longer generating.

Load shifting

Your business can reduce energy costs by charging the battery when energy is cheap (either at night via the grid when tariffs are low and/or during the day with excess solar) and ‘shifting’ this power to periods when energy is expensive i.e. during the day and peak periods. Operating the battery this way will typically flatten out your company’s energy demand from the grid.

Peak shaving

Transmission charges from electricity suppliers are an expensive element of your business’ energy bill with little control of reducing these costs. Off-setting your peak load demand with energy stored in the battery will flatten your demand at these peak points and ultimately create substantial savings on your energy bill. Reducing your peak consumption will also save money on your distribution charges levied by electricity suppliers during these more expensive periods.

External grid services

In addition to the above onsite services, there are a number of grid services that a battery can provide; utilising your company’s grid connection and providing an income to your business through supporting the local grid.

The following services are generally procured through an aggregator and Greensphere can initiate an introduction to those with whom we have successfully worked:

Frequency response

This describes the ability to quickly supply electricity to/or absorb electricity from the grid at critical times. This might be in the event of a power station shutdown or the over-supply of electricity from wind during a weekend. Batteries are able to switch quickly to charge or discharge, making them ideal to meet frequency market requirements.

Capacity market (standby reserve)

Linked to frequency response, a standby reserve market exists and battery owners can bid into this annually to provide energy when called upon to do so by the National Grid.

The challenge with income from these external grid services is there is no long term certainty over the price of these services, meaning that business owners need to assess these risks and market opportunities moving forward. The National Grid is undergoing a period of significant change and whilst the grid is likely to always need balancing there is little visibility as to how this will be achieved into the future.

Is battery storage viable for my business?

The installation of a battery provides many benefits, though the ability to install a battery depends upon both your site’s infrastructure and the ability of the local electricity grid to accommodate it; Greensphere can make early enquiries on behalf of your business to ascertain the viability of a battery.

The value of a battery will also depend upon the use and charges that your business experiences and, if grid services are procured, on the value that an aggregator will pay for use of a battery.

We can give you indicative revenue streams, according to current market conditions and energy prices, and work with you to assess your opinions of where inflation will sit and how you value your network access.

Funding for battery storage

As battery technology becomes more affordable, but also more technical, there are business owners who recognise the value and wish to purchase these benefits without the capital costs. Greensphere works with a number of battery funders who provide turnkey solutions for businesses prepared to enter into contracts for the provision of battery services.

Enquire with us today

Regardless if you have an existing solar PV array and if it was installed by an alternative installer, contact us today to have an initial discussion about the energy and battery storage requirements for your business.

You can also visit our battery storage FAQ page for more information.