Nowadays, some renewable energy developers are deploying energy storage systems to complement their operational solar power facilities, which can save a lot of electricity costs. Here are three reasons for deploying battery energy storage systems for solar power facilities:
Most utility companies offer time-based electricity pricing for commercial and industrial users, which means that users need to pay more for electricity when the grid is supplying power at peak capacity. For utility companies during the peak summer period, they often make the most profit in the late afternoon.
By deploying battery energy storage systems in conjunction with solar power facilities, a portion of the generated electricity from the solar power facility can be stored during periods of lower electricity prices and discharged during periods of higher electricity prices to meet the demand during peak periods. This is known as energy shifting and is a good way to improve the return on investment for solar power facilities.
Commercial and industrial users with higher electricity rates from 4 pm to 9 pm charge their battery storage systems with electricity generated from the solar power facility between 7 am and noon. The stored electricity is then supplied to the grid later in the day, enabling the solar power facility to provide electricity during peak demand periods and reducing overall electricity costs.
If a utility company has a large-scale solar power facility without a deployed storage system, there is a limitation: the solar power facility can only generate as much electricity as the transmission lines and grid can accommodate.
This also applies to commercial and industrial users who have installed solar power facilities and can only utilize the generated electricity as much as possible. Likewise, there is a limitation which may require them to rely on grid electricity during certain periods of the day, while these users may prefer to use their own lower-cost clean energy.
By adopting battery energy storage systems, excess electricity beyond the grid capacity limit can be stored, providing the opportunity to install larger solar power facilities and gain more value from their investments.
Electricity can move at almost the speed of light, which means that if it is not stored, it will be used or wasted at the same moment it is generated. Therefore, the production and use of electricity must remain balanced. If not, supply-demand imbalances can cause voltage drops and spikes in the grid, which can damage many electrical devices used in industrial facilities.
Solar power generation can also decrease due to weather issues. If electricity demand does not decrease, it may affect load operations.
The combination of solar power facilities and storage systems can adjust to the decrease in generation caused by weather conditions. The process of managing deviations in solar power generation due to adverse weather is known as "smooth solar power generation".
Battery energy storage systems also allow users' facilities to disconnect from the grid and keep their equipment running during scheduled periods.
If users need electricity during times of lower solar power generation, they can benefit from the battery storage systems associated with solar power facilities. This measure is a form of "energy solidification", which means maintaining the solar power generation during the required time period. In other words, it ensures that sufficient electricity is always available when the user needs it. Due to these three reasons, solar power facilities need to deploy battery energy storage systems.
