Energy storage for industry

To optimize the production and utilization of electricity from photovoltaic or cogeneration systems, it’s worthwhile to use energy storage systems to avoid selling electricity back to the grid at less favorable rates.

Energy storage allows for storing electricity when the production of electrical energy from a photovoltaic installation is higher than its consumption. The accumulated surplus can be used in times of increased consumption or during the nighttime when the PV installation is not generating electricity.

In summary, thanks to energy storage systems, you can:

• retain the produced energy – using a storage system ensures that all the energy remains available on-site without the need to feed it back into the grid;
• gain independence – an energy storage system provides the owner with protection against power outages (power failures, weather anomalies, and other unexpected events).

The most common way to store energy is by using batteries. There are many types of batteries available on the market, but the most popular ones include lead-acid batteries, lithium-ion batteries, and gel batteries.

• Lead-acid batteries are among the cheapest, but they degrade quickly, and for safety reasons, they must be stored in a ventilated room.
• Slightly more expensive lithium-ion batteries are known for fast charging and low degradation due to regular discharging.
• Gel batteries are very well-suited for cyclic operation and provide a large number of deep charge and discharge cycles without significant loss of properties.

Lithium-iron-phosphate batteries, which are even more efficient and safer, are also available on the market. Unfortunately, they are significantly more expensive than the others, and their price-to-quality ratio is still unfavorable. However, with the use of planned and existing forms of funding, the use of such batteries can be economically viable. At Energy Trend, we will thoroughly examine funding possibilities and select the appropriate and economically justified solution. We provide advisory services for choosing the right battery for your company’s needs. To make the right choice, we examine the situations in which the battery will be used, its operating scheme, the devices it should power, and how long the stored energy should last to ensure optimal performance. We pay special attention to selecting the battery precisely for the source of electricity production to maximize its lifespan.

We also assess other factors that affect the operation of the entire system:

• We check if the electrical installation in the building is suitable for working with the accumulator;
• We check if a direct current (DC) or alternating current (AC) accumulator will be needed;
• We verify if the accumulator will operate with the required power when the power supply is disconnected;
• We also check whether the battery has the necessary management systems suitable for the company’s operating profile.