5 ways in which companies benefit from an electricity storage system

Electricity storage systems are on trend – and rightly so! Because they help you to get the most out of your solar system and use the energy generated flexibly. The principle of electricity storage systems is very simple: surplus solar energy is stored and can be released again at a later time as required. For companies, this promises a reliable and cost-effective energy supply, completely independent from the energy market. At the same time, storage systems can also be used specifically to generate additional revenue on the electricity market.

Even though electricity prices have calmed down again somewhat after a temporary high in 2022, the market is still in an exceptional situation. Analysts agree: volatility on the electricity market will remain high in the future. This poses a major challenge for companies. They are reliant on a stable supply of electricity, but must also be profitable in times of high electricity prices. In this article, we present five ways in which your company can benefit from an electricity storage system and how it can take advantage of market dynamics.

First, we will detail how an electricity storage system enables you to save costs by optimizing your own consumption and capping peak loads. We then explain how companies can use electricity storage systems to generate additional revenue on the spot market and by marketing control energy. We then conclude with how solar energy can be used even more efficiently with electricity storage systems.

With the help of a company-owned photovoltaic system, companies can reduce their dependence on the electricity market by covering part of their consumption with self-produced solar power. This proportion can be further increased with an electricity storage system. This is called self-consumption optimization. Tailored to the individual consumption profile of a company, a storage system allows surplus solar power to be temporarily stored during sunny periods and accessed at a later time. This means that solar energy can also be used when the sun is not shining - at night, for example.

So, what does this mean for you? The electricity storage system offers flexibility and security so that sustainable energy is always available exactly when and where you need it. In addition to improved planning capability, companies also benefit from considerable cost savings. On top of that, taxes and levies that are incurred when feeding energy into the public grid are eliminated when you consume it yourself.

Another way to save costs is so-called peak shaving. Companies consume different amounts of energy at different times. The moment when a company consumes the most energy is called the peak load. The higher the peak load, the more power the energy supplier has to provide for the company. In other words, your electricity price depends on the level of this peak load.

Companies with particularly high maximum consumption pay correspondingly more. The use of energy storage systems reduces such peak loads by storing electricity during sunny periods and making it available at times of high electricity consumption. The result: less power needs to be stored in the grid, which means that the expensive peak load tariffs can be avoided.

On the spot market, electricity is sold at the current price, which is determined by supply and demand. If there is a lot of electricity available – for example when the sun is shining or the wind is blowing and the renewable energy plants are running at full capacity – the price is low. Conversely, the price can rise if less electricity is available – for example, if solar energy is not available at night.

This mechanism can be used by charging the energy storage system with electricity from your own PV system and selling it on the spot market when the price is particularly high. Conversely, you can of course also buy electricity on the spot market when the price is low, store it temporarily and then sell it at a profit when the price rises. An electricity storage system therefore makes it possible to bridge supply and demand differences and use them for profit.

Electricity storage systems can also be used to generate additional income through the sale of control energy. In order to compensate for short-term fluctuations in the electricity grid and ensure grid stability, grid operators rely on control energy, which such companies with storage systems have at their disposal. As a company, you can offer your surplus stored energy. In return, you are not only paid for your willingness to provide balancing energy, but also for the power you actually supply.

Clean energy is becoming increasingly important – also in industry. However, their availability can fluctuate, as wind turbines generate less energy when there is little wind and solar panels when there is little sunshine. With your own electricity storage system, however, you are also equipped for times when less green electricity is available. Your company will then not have to rely on conventional suppliers that generate electricity from coal and gas.

The more companies rely on storage for PV systems, the more stable the electricity market becomes. Thanks to electricity storage systems, the use of renewable energies can be increased, CO2 emissions reduced, and energy costs lowered. A win-win for the environment and your company.

Electricity storage systems therefore offer numerous opportunities to save costs and also generate additional income. This leads to a relatively short amortization period. If the storage system and the PV system are well matched, the investment usually pays for itself after just five to six years. And you are also doing something good for the environment.

The economic viability of electricity storage systems depends heavily on individual conditions, such as the location, the capacity of the storage system and the specific use case. A comprehensive assessment is therefore necessary in order to exploit the full potential of electricity storage systems, which is often a challenge.