Choosing the correct energy storage solution

For many business owners interested in solar power or who’ve already embraced it, adding battery storage (BESS) should be the next logical step. Whether it’s to meet your environmental,Social or Governance requirements (ESG) or further lower energy bills, reduce reliance on the grid, or maintain power during power outages, batteries are becoming a necessity to add further value to your business or home.

First you must understand the differences in solar batteries. This is crucial to maximising the value of your PV investment. With that in mind , Below are some common questions you should be asking about batteries for your business or home.

What can solar and battery storage do for me?

There are many reasons to consider adding a battery to your solar energy system:

Backup during grid outages: Installing solar panels alone does not keep your lights,computers or essential items on during a blackout. So, for many businesses or homeowners, especially those living in regions prone to grid disruptions, installing a battery storage solution with a backup interface (UPS) is crucial for powering essential appliances during an outage.

Reducing Energy Costs:

By storing excess solar energy generated during the day or from grid charging cheap night tariffs, businesses & homeowners can utilise the saved energy for use at night or when electricity rates are high in the day via peak shaving load demand, therefore importing less electricity from the grid. Especially with fluctuating utility costs and more regions introducing time-of-use or dynamic electricity rates, using stored solar can lead to more long-term savings on energy bills.

Future readiness:

As business thrive & residential electrification continues to expand, businesses & homeowners are increasingly relying on electricity for power,lighting,heating,charging their EVs and more. This places greater demands on the utility services & electrical demand for your business & home. Solar systems with battery storage provide a flexible solution for managing this increased electrical demand.

Government Incentives and Financing Opportunities:Many regions now offer government incentives and rebates to make battery storage systems more affordable. In addition, new revenue opportunities make batteries even more financially attractive by allowing utility companies to use stored energy for grid support during peak demand periods.

Environmental Benefits:Using stored solar energy instead of grid electricity reduces your carbon footprint & less remaince on the grid supplier, contributing to a more sustainable and eco-friendlier lifestyle.

Environmental,Social & Governance (ESG):Reducing energy use by using renewable energy sources to become a net zero organisation.Demonstrating to new B2B supply chain partners the adoption of clean energy in your infrastructure.

2. DC-Coupled vs. AC-Coupled Systems

DC-coupled systems are generally more efficient for battery storage due to the direct transfer of DC energy from solar panels to the battery. This eliminates conversion losses associated with AC-coupled systems, where energy is converted from DC to AC and back to DC for storage.

3.Safety Measures in Battery Storage Systems

Safety is a top priority. Lithium-ion batteries used for business or home storage, like the SolarEdge Battery storage solutions, should be surveyed ,designed & installed by competent certified professionals. These batteries are designed with multiple safety features and undergo rigorous testing to mitigate potential risks.

Outdoor IP rated solutions are available & pre made container solutions built off site to meet your needs for safety & space!

4. Factors Affecting Battery Backup Duration

The duration your business or home can run on battery backup (Autonomy) depends on factors such as essential items requiring back up & the load demand required to create the suitable autonomy to meet your time periods. The number and storage capacity of batteries, your power demand & consumption, and your energy usage habits. While batteries with backup interfaces can power your home during outages, there might be limitations with high-energy devices or large appliances.

Intermittent vs. Continuous Loads

Understanding the difference between intermittent and continuous loads is crucial. Intermittent loads cycle on and off, while continuous loads need to run constantly. A single SolarEdge Home 400V battery with a backup interface can typically power two or three intermittent and two or three continuous loads for approximately 10 hours. Energy conservation is still important.
For extended outage protection or greater flexibility, you might consider installing additional batteries to create a larger energy storage bank.

5. Can I choose my battery operational preferences to better suit my needs?

Yes! Our chosen storage solutions such as SolarEdge allows owners adding a battery the use of the mySolarEdge app or other app that suit: the battery manufacturer allowing the ability to configure their battery preferences according to their electricity needs. There are three options to choose from:

Maximise Self-consumption:

By selecting this option, battery storage owners can harness the available solar energy from their PV system to efficiently run their businesses or homes and charge their batteries, reducing their dependence on the grid.

Time-of-Use Mode:

This option is most suitable for businesses or homeowners with varied utility rates. This mode helps reduce energy bills by automatically charging the battery from solar and/or grid when the utility rates are low ,A lower cost electric night tariff so that business or homeowners can use the battery to power their business or home when the electrical rates are high, reducing energy bills further adding more value.

Backup Only mode:

For homes with battery and a backup interface, homeowners can choose to keep their battery charged in the event of a grid outage.

More sophisticated energy management software can leverage the home’s solar energy and battery storage to create a sophisticated daily energy plan.

Understanding battery jargon?

Understanding the key terms associated with batteries is essential to make an informed decision about which battery suits your needs. Here is a breakdown of some common home battery terms:

Round-trip efficiency:

This term is always expressed in a percentage and represents the amount of energy that can be extracted from the battery compared to the energy it was charged with. A higher round-trip efficiency indicates less energy loss, which is important for maximizing the value of your battery.
Total capacity: Total capacity is always measured in kilowatt hours (kWh) and indicates the total amount of energy that a battery can store. The higher the total capacity, the more energy homeowners can store for longer periods.
Battery lifespan: This refers to the duration of time a battery can effectively store and deliver energy before its performance degrades or needs to be replaced. It is typically measured in cycles or years. SolarEdge provides 10-year warranty for the SolarEdge Home Battery energy capacity that secures at least 70% energy retention over that period, when operated according to its operational manual and warranty terms.
Usable energy: Usable energy represents the portion of the battery’s total capacity (usually around 80-100% of the total), that can be safely utilized without compromising the battery’s lifespan.
Peak Power: This term is also measured in kilowatts but refers to the maximum power output that a battery can provide in a short burst of time. This is essential for managing sudden spikes in energy demand, such as turning on air-conditioners or dryers.
Continuous Output Power: Continuous output power refers to the sustained power output that the battery can provide over an extended period of hours (as opposed to peak power, which might be higher but only for short bursts). It is essential to ensure that the number of batteries installed can handle your business or household energy needs. For example, the SolarEdge Home Battery 400V has a continuous output power of 5kW, meaning that the battery can consistently provide 5,000 watts of electricity to your home for an extended period.

Backup Interface (BUI):

The Backup Interface is required to enable full or partial business or home backup when the grid is down. Without the Backup Interface, the battery can still be used for self-consumption purposes or to connect to a Virtual Power Plant program but cannot be used in the event of a grid outage.

Shaping what comes next & the future of energy control,sustainability with solar + storage

Solar power has made remarkable strides over the past decade. I have seen the changes in development of products, new technology & improved solutions to help harness clean energy which offers one of the most affordable and widely forms of renewable energy being utilised today. Yet, as sunlight is intermittent, battery storage solutions combined with smart energy optimisation systems hold the key to unlocking the full potential of solar by bridging the gap between the supply and demand. As we shift towards a low carbon future, more revenue streams, such as Virtual Power Plants, can benefit businesses & homeowners with battery systems.

As clean energy continues to expand, solar and battery storage for the business & home will continue to play an integral role in advancing technology and reducing our carbon footprint in an increasingly electrified world which will help ensure a safer,cleaner environment for our children to grow up.

Did you Know?:

Battery storage can be an integral part of your business model or home set up without the need for solar panels on your roof!

The installation of battery storage along with solar will add more Kwp/Hr usage especially where small roof spaces or grid connection applications may be problematic.

PANEL – SJA SOLAR 405 w and 124 PANELS

INVERTER – SOLAREDGE 50kw 3-PHASE UNIT

OPTIMISER – P950 X 62

SYSTEM SAFETY – SOLAREDGE FIRE FIGHTER GATEWAY

ROOFING MOUNTING SYSTEM – VAN DER VALK LOW BALLST FLAT ROOF

CLOUD MONITORING – SOLAREDGE BASED APP – SUPPORTED O&M

ESTIMATED KW PER ANNUM PRODUCED – 44,381 kwhrs

ANNUAL ELECTRIC SAVINGS – £N/A -ZERO EXPORT 100% ENERGY USAGE

ANNUAL ELECTRIC SAVINGS – £22,236.60

TOTAL ANNUAL SAVINGS – £555,912.50

RETURN ON INVESTMENT – 40.1%

PAYBACK PERIOD – 2 YEARS 5 MONTHS

TOTAL SYSTEM COST – £53 414,65

Finance Options

(Solar PV systems, Battery storage, LED lighting, Commercial EV Charging, New roof overclad)

Our finance partner can fund 100% of the purchase – including installation cost
No deposit (T & C’s apply) Credit check
They pay the supplier in upfront stage payments to help their cash flow
Decisions within 3 hours
Accessible finance all commercial projects from £10,000 to £1 Million +
Fixed monthly payments
The finance payments are 100% tax deductible
No charges against Land or Property

Request A Quote

Telephone: 07577 886 711

info@modernenergyelectricalservices.com

To access the latest in energy efficiency and electrical services, contacting Modern Energy & Electrical Services is your first step towards innovative solutions. Our team of experts is ready to assist with a wide range of services, from advanced lighting optimization and low-energy systems to comprehensive electrical installations and voltage optimization.

Back To Blog