Commercial Battery Storage Systems

Commercial battery storage systems involve using battery technology to store electricity. These systems are often linked to renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, to help balance supply and demand. However, battery storage is increasingly being used as a standalone solution in residential and commercial buildings across the country. These systems help stabilise the national grid, provide backup power, and enhance energy efficiency by storing energy during off-peak times and discharging it during peak demand periods.

Cost savings for businesses

In commercial settings, battery storage systems are used to store cheap electricity – from solar or from utilising off-peak tariffs. Many off peak tariffs allow users to download electricity when the National Grid is quiet at rates around 7p, with peak of the day electricity potentially costing 26 – 27p, depending on your particular tariff. This saving (which can equate to a 75% reduction of your electricity cost) if discharged each day, can lead to significant savings on your electricity bills over the lifetime of the battery storage systems.

Peak shaving?

Commercial customers don’t have to download and store all their electricity needs for the following day. By downloading 50% of the daily usage, this would ‘shave’ peak electricity costs and still offer significant savings. If the user is operating 365 day per year this can reduce the payback, compared to a commercial user operating (and using power) on 5 days of every week.

Modularity

Battery systems are modular – customers can test the concept in a relatively small way, and as money allows, steadily build battery capacity.

Uninterrupted power supply

In addition to the cost savings there is also the hugely important aspect of continuity of supply during electricity blackouts.  In hospitality, industry and manufacturing, power blackouts can lead to huge losses due to wasted materials, lost man hours, dissatisfied guests and missed delivery dates – especially for those working within complex supply chains.

Most power blackouts occur during the day when the National Grid is under the most strain, and this is when the customer is using the stored electricity to reduce impact. With the majority of blackouts lasting around 2.5 hours, business can potentially mitigate the significant losses associated with blackouts.

Health and security

Not everyone receiving care is located in a hospital. Care homes, doctors’ practices, smaller clinics and treatment rooms and home-based people receiving medical care all need uninterrupted power supplies.

The loss of power can also have huge security issues in certain sectors from student accommodation to hotels which rely on electric powered access fobs, for example.

Properties in conservation zones or listed building or in National Parks

Restrictions over the use of solar panels in these areas mean that the use of internal battery storage systems are much more likely to be the best option to help users save electricity costs and install a reliable source of power. Also, many buildings are not physically suitable to PV, in terms of their size, aspect, covering or simply the strength of the roof structure, so making battery energy storage systems the perfect option.

Life spans

Most battery storage systems come with a manufacturer guarantee of 10-15 years, with a payback period typically ranging from 6 to 8 years. Advocates of battery storage can thus enjoy many years of savings and reliable energy without hassle.