Why Use Battery Energy Storage With EV Charging?

Enersys, one of the largest industrial battery manufacturers in the world, has expanded their product portfolio with a lithium-ion backed battery storage system and level 3 DC fast charging solution. What sets the Enersys charging solution apart from standard EV chargers is the battery energy storage system (BESS) which is capable of storage over 1 megawatt and bidirectional power capabilities, making it a true resiliency hub.

The Enersys battery energy storage system is a unique solution for the Canadian market that aims to ease some of the stress that will be on the grid in the coming years. With EV’s in Canada fully electric or hybrid by 2035, the need for power will greatly increase and utility prices will continue to climb. By going with a BESS and buying power off-peak to store for daytime use, owners can take advantage of nighttime utility rates. This will be especially important given some of the charging speeds that EV chargers are promising. For example, several chargers with 200kW output operating at the same time will be subject to peak pricing during the day; it will add up quickly.

The organizations that will greatly benefit from cheaper charging and emergency power potential are fleet owners, municipalities, retail owners, and educational institutions. These are locations that have large demands for electricity or are frequented during peak utility times. Imagine charging an entire school during peak hours as opposed to using stored energy that was purchased at off-peak rates?

Demand Charge Reduction – Enersys Express® fast chargers can use stored battery to dampen spikes in electricity demand during recharging. This can reduce the site owner’s overall electricity spend.

Revenue Opportunities – There are several revenue opportunities for BESS owners such as kiosk based digital advertising, telecom co-location hosting, ‘grid service’ whereby selling stored power back to the grid increases payback.

Cloud Power Management – Available battery energy is monitored and controlled. If battery energy is low, power output to the charging pedestals is dynamically adjusted. This can work especially well for places where visitors will be spending more time and have no need for ultra-fast charging.

Solar Power or Microgrid Configurations – On-site solar power generation can be integrated with the battery to further reduce electricity costs. The BESS can also be islanded during a power failure to provide emergency power or charging.

Trained Service Technicians – Enersys has a large network of trained technicians who are on 24/7 service. This will keep your hardware in peak condition and ensure smooth operation of fleets.

Fleet Owners – For fleets, the most important thing is to keep the cars on the road. By having stored power there will never be a situation where vehicles cannot charge. In addition, there is a lot of money saved by buying power off-peak and storing in the BESS.

Municipalities – With the need for power growing, and continuing to climb, municipalities can take advantage of the peak shaving ability of a BESS to take stress of the local grid and offer convenient charging to citizens in busy locations.

Retail/Education/Mall Owners – EV charging and heating/cooling will put significant stress on a building’s utility bill. To manage the utility cost of both applications, a site owner could take advantage of level 3 charging revenue and off-peak energy storage.

With the cost of electricity on the rise, and showing no signs of slowing down, adding a BESS to your level 3 fast charging makes sense, especially as more vehicles are going fully electric. It stands to reason that making an investment in EV charging should yield some returns for the asset owners and battery energy storage combined with pedestals makes that possible.

Considering getting EV charging for your building? Reach out to the GridONE team for expertise in charger selection, batteries, microgrids, and installation.