Top 10 Applications of Industrial and Commercial Energy Storage

In the wave of energy transition and green development, commercial and industrial energy storage systems (C&I ESS) are making significant inroads across various sectors of the economy. These systems are becoming a critical force in promoting efficient energy use and green transformation. This article will explore the top 10 applications of C&I ESS, detailing their characteristics and value propositions. 1. Factory Park Energy Storage - Peak Load Shifting and Emergency Backup Factory parks, as major energy consumers, have fluctuating and seasonal electricity demands. C&I ESS can store energy during off-peak hours when electricity prices are low and discharge it during peak times to achieve cost savings through peak load shifting. Additionally, these systems serve as emergency backup power sources, ensuring continuous operation of critical equipment during grid outages. Through intelligent scheduling and management, ESS can adapt charging and discharging strategies based on actual needs, maximizing energy utilization. Integrating with renewable energy sources like solar PV and wind power creates microgrids, enhancing self-sufficiency. 2. Data Center Energy Storage - Ensuring Stability and Reducing Costs ESS can swiftly supply power to data centers during grid failures, safeguarding data integrity and business continuity. Furthermore, participating in grid ancillary services such as peak shaving and frequency regulation helps lower operational costs. Deploying ESS within or near data centers enables flexible grid interaction and optimized energy distribution. Combining ESS with cooling systems for heat recovery further boosts overall energy efficiency. 3. Commercial Complex Energy Storage - Enhancing Customer Experience and Sustainability Commercial complexes encompass shopping malls, office buildings, and hotels, each with diverse energy requirements. C&I ESS can be tailored to meet these varied needs, ensuring precise energy dispatch and high-efficiency usage. The emergency power capabilities of ESS ensure uninterrupted operations. Installing ESS in parking areas supports rapid EV charging while smoothing charging loads to minimize grid impact. Pairing ESS with photovoltaic systems fosters integrated photovoltaic-storage-charging solutions, reducing costs and carbon emissions. 4. EV Charging Station Energy Storage - Alleviating Grid Strain and Boosting Efficiency As essential infrastructure for electric vehicles, charging stations face unpredictable demand spikes. C&I ESS can release stored energy during peak demand periods, alleviating grid pressure, and recharge during low-demand times to enhance efficiency. Implementing ESS at charging stations facilitates load leveling and peak shaving. Moreover, integrating ESS with smart scheduling systems optimizes charge allocation and dispatch. 5. Industrial Microgrid Energy Storage - Increasing Self-Sufficiency and Reliability Industrial microgrids function as independent mini power generation and distribution systems capable of self-sufficiency. C&I ESS stabilizes intermittent renewable sources, ensuring stable microgrid operation. Deploying energy storage systems in industrial microgrids can effectively store and dispatch the power generated by distributed power sources (such as photovoltaic and wind power). It also provides emergency power during grid disruptions and participates in ancillary services markets, generating additional revenue streams. 6. Photovoltaic-Storage Integration Projects - Promoting Renewable Energy Utilization Combining photovoltaic (PV) systems with ESS forms an integrated energy supply system that maximizes solar energy utilization and storage. Deploying this solution in industrial parks, commercial complexes, and residential areas enhances renewable energy consumption. ESS optimizes PV output curves, improving utilization rates and economic benefits. Such projects also offer grid support through ancillary services like peak shaving and frequency regulation. 7. Agricultural Irrigation Energy Storage - Improving Efficiency and Water Conservation Agricultural irrigation requires substantial water resources but often suffers from inefficiencies. C&I ESS paired with intelligent irrigation systems enables precise control and management of irrigation electricity. Deploying ESS in farmlands allows automatic adjustment of irrigation volumes and timings based on soil moisture and crop growth stages. Charging during off-peak hours reduces grid reliance, lowers irrigation costs, and achieves water conservation goals. 8. Port Energy Storage - Green Shipping and Environmental Protection Ports traditionally rely on auxiliary generators for ship power, causing noise pollution and inefficiency. C&I ESS provides clean, stable power to berthed ships, replacing conventional methods. Deploying ESS at port terminals creates intelligent shore power systems, supplying immediate power upon docking and recharging during off-peak hours. This not only reduces noise and pollution but also cuts operational costs and enhances environmental performance. 9. Telecommunication Base Station Energy Storage - Ensuring Connectivity and Lowering Energy Consumption Telecommunication base stations are crucial for network stability but often suffer from unstable power supplies and high energy consumption. C&I ESS ensures reliable power and reduces energy usage. During normal grid operation, ESS charges; during outages, it switches to supply mode instantly, maintaining connectivity. Intelligent scheduling optimizes energy distribution, lowering consumption and operational costs. 10. Remote Area Energy Storage - Solving Power Supply Challenges and Fostering Development Remote regions often face inadequate power supply and limited grid coverage. C&I ESS offers stable, reliable power solutions, addressing these challenges. Deploying ESS alongside local renewable resources forms microgrids or standalone systems. Releasing stored energy during shortages or peak demand ensures continuous power for residents and businesses. This application promotes renewable energy development, driving economic growth and social progress. Conclusion The ten applications of C&I ESS span from industrial production to daily life, urban development to remote regions. These scenarios highlight the pivotal role of energy storage technology in energy transition and green development. As technology advances and policies evolve, the prospects for C&I ESS are increasingly promising, contributing significantly to global energy transformation and sustainable development.   More about ESS  

European energy market trends explained

As global energy demand increases and environmental protection becomes a mainstream world issue, the emergence of new energy markets is an important part of the solution to human needs. As European countries accelerate their energy restructuring, the domestic energy storage market is growing rapidly. Currently, Europe is the world's largest market for domestic energy storage. There are three main customer-side electricity options in Europe: 1. Complete grid purchase: no rooftop PV or energy storage system is installed, and electricity demand is sourced entirely from the grid. 2. Only PV systems are installed, no energy storage systems are installed: the proportion of self-generation and self-consumption is only 20-35%, with excess electricity sold back to the grid at midday when the PV is generating at high capacity, and some electricity bought back from the grid at night when the PV is not working. 3. Photovoltaic + energy storage: the proportion of self-generation is increased to 60-90%, and the surplus electricity is sold back to the grid at midday. As European residential electricity prices rise and the cost of photovoltaic storage falls, the economics of photovoltaic storage packages are becoming increasingly apparent. The cost of purchasing electricity in developed European countries such as Germany, Italy, the UK, and Switzerland is high and continues to rise. In Germany, for example, the cost of purchasing electricity for households has risen from 28.7 cents/kWh in 2015 to 30.5 cents/kWh in 2019 and is expected to continue to rise in the future. At the same time, the LCOE of PV and PV+ storage is decreasing, and the economics of PV packages and self-generation models are becoming more and more significant. In addition, the PV+ storage model brings more flexibility and facilitates the emergence of innovative business cases in the photovoltaic storage sector. The combination of different devices and virtual power plants (VPP) is bringing more value creation to the domestic energy storage market. Policy subsidies played an important driving role in the early stages of the industry's development, but as PV technology continues to mature and market orientation becomes clearer, European countries have weakened PV subsidies and gradually shifted to the energy storage market, driving the rapid development of the energy storage market. In the future, with the further increase of PV penetration and PV distribution and storage penetration, the European energy storage market has a bright future. According to SolorPower Europe's forecast, the new installed capacity of the European domestic energy storage market will exceed 1GWh by 2023.

Electrochemical Energy Storage Industry Chain

The electrochemical energy storage industry chain, like other industries, consists of upstream, middle reaches, and downstream. The upstream of the electrochemical energy storage industry chain mainly consists of various raw material suppliers, including positive and negative pole materials, electrolytes, battery diaphragms, electronic components, special auxiliary materials, etc. According to incomplete statistics from Weike.com, the upstream enterprises of the electrochemical energy storage industry chain are mainly Rongbai Technology, Dangsheng Technology, Tianqi Lithium, Tianli Lithium, Long-term Lithium, Betry, Ziyi Technology, Shanshan Co., Ltd., Kaijin Energy, Huasheng Lithium, Xingyuan Material, Cangzhou Pearl, BYD, Ningde Times, etc. In the middle reaches of the electrochemical energy storage industry chain, there are mainly Residential Energy Storage System integrated installation manufacturers, including battery packs, battery management systems (BMS), energy management systems (PMS), energy storage inverters (PCS), hardware systems, software systems, and other electrical equipment. According to incomplete statistics from Weike.com energy storage, the midstream companies in the electrochemical energy storage industry chain are mainly Ningde, BYD, Gaot Electronics, Science and Industry Electronics, Xieneng Technology, Sunshine Power, Nandu Power, Pai Neng Technology, Yimei, Yimei Lithium Energy, sea-based new energy, Zhongke sea sodium, sodium innovation energy, etc. The downstream of the electrochemical energy storage industry chain mainly covers various specific application scenarios that include the power generation side, power grid side, and user side, such as new energy power stations, communication base stations, data centers, traditional power stations, power grid companies, industrial and commercial energy storage, families, and families' energy storage, etc.