FEATURE BATTERIES & CHARGERS STORE TO SAVE
Robert Hughes, business development director for Virtue Energy Storage system, which is designed and manufactured by Powerstar, discusses how energy storage technology can save companies money on their electricity bills, whilst also providing additional income
o manage energy demand in the UK there are charges placed on businesses for consuming energy at periods of high demand throughout the day. Some may be unaware of these tariffs, which are added to standard fees. Using energy storage battery technology can help companies negate additional costs. The solutions work by capturing energy produced in low tariff periods, and storing it for use in a high tariff period. Energy storage can also be integrated into renewable and non- renewable resources, allowing users to come off the National Grid and switch to stored electricity when required, giving greater flexibility and control of usage.
T
REDUCING ENERGY BILLS The tariff which impacts
businesses the most is DUoS (Distribution Use of System). DUoS is managed by the UK’s Distribution Network Operators (DNO) and is contributed towards the operation, maintenance and development of the country’s electricity distribution network. The most widely recognised aspect of DUoS is the unit charge, which is placed on how many kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity has been consumed during a specific period in the day, and accounts for around 15-19 per cent of a typical non- domestic electricity bill. Even with DUoS charges forming a
significant part of companies’ electricity bills, each Distribution Network Operator has a local monopoly on the supply of electricity, therefore it is not possible to seek out the cheapest DUoS tariffs and, unfortunately, they are continuing to increase year-by-year.
14 DECEMBER/JANUARY 2017 | ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING To find the solution in avoiding DUoS
tariffs, many companies will reduce or switch off all electrical items at peak tariffs, usually Monday-Friday between 4pm and 7pm. However, a shutdown may not be possible if a building consumes a high level of energy throughout the day. With DUoS tariffs being published in advanced, the charge can be completely avoided using energy storage technology. The solution will store the less expensive electricity at night, or during off peak periods, usually from midnight to 7:30am, 9pm to midnight, and across the weekend. The battery will then be able to discharge the stored energy at a DUoS period, allowing companies to save up to 10 per cent on electricity costs. Alongside DUoS, Triads - three half- hour periods with the
highest system demand - between November and February, are another
avoidable significant charge incurred by businesses across
the country. However, unlike DUoS,
Triads are difficult to predict, with most electricity suppliers warning their customers in advance when they believe a period may be coming, which allows companies to significantly reduce the amount of electricity used. As with DUoS, switching off all
electrical items can be damaging to business operations. The only way to avoid Triad charges completely, whilst operating all systems as normal, is for businesses to come off the National Grid and use electricity through energy storage technology.
NATIONAL GRID INCENTIVES Not only does energy storage technology have the capabilities to reduce energy bills, the solutions provide significant financial incentives to large electricity consumers by providing the grid with additional support when required, known as Demand Side Response (DSR). DSR is any method of assisting reserve,
response, avoidance or capacity on the electricity network. The incentives are broken up into three categories: Demand Side Balancing Reserve (DSBR), which is given to users that reduce electrical requirement during high periods of demand; Firm Frequency Response (FFR), provided to companies which can maintain frequency on the National Grid; and Enhanced Frequency Response (EFR), which is defined as a frequency source that achieves 100 per cent active power output at one second, or less, of registering a frequency deviation. Supporting grid capacity through DSR,
using energy storage, can be significantly cheaper than maintaining electricity use through periods of high demand hours. Unlike diesel generators and CHP units, energy storage mediums have the ability to be connected to the National Grid, allowing instant electricity discharge. The technology will ensure all businesses successfully respond to at least 95 per cent of all DSR demands. However, as new incentives keep being added to the DSR scheme, it is likely that battery-based energy storage technology will be one of the only mediums that will be able to apply for future benefits, as it is a clean form of energy that can to respond to changes in grid frequency within an 11 millisecond timeframe.
THE SMART SOLUTION Even though consumer focussed energy storage technology is in its infancy, the solution is emerging as one of the best ways to address the growing concern that national energy grids are struggling to cope with the surge in demand for electricity, which continues to accelerate. By providing businesses with the
opportunity to reduce energy bills, whilst providing an additional income, energy storage solutions are already becoming a key enabling technology within local and national energy distribution networks. Powerstar will soon be adding Virtue EV (electric vehicle rapid charging station) to the product range, which will see the company’s Virtue energy storage technology integrated with an electrical vehicle rapid charging unit. To receive further information in relation to the product launch, visit the website below.
Powerstar
www.powerstar.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56