Small Scale Energy Storage

The amount of small PV systems is already considerable and increases strongly around the world. Most of the generated electricity is not consumed instantly but is fed into the electricity grid or is lost in the case of an off-grid PV system without energy storage. This excess of electricity is generated to be used at a later stage.

The injection into the grid introduces difficulties for grid operators and energy companies as they must maintain a stable grid and adapt their electricity supply. Therefore, they are penalizing the PV owners for the amount of electricity they inject. This temporary excess of electricity could also be stored in-house with a small battery to prevent the penalty and become self-sufficient

The implementation of renewable energy increases the risk of power shortages or shutdowns. Big users are/could be (temporarily) disconnected from the electricity grid whenever the grid operators have to. This often results in problems for companies like shutting down production lines.

This could be prevented if an appropriate battery is integrated, providing power in case of a backup. A part of the battery could also simultaneously be used to store electricity when the price is low and supply it whenever it is high.

Net congestion makes it difficult to obtain a high-power connection to the grid, restricting companies and people from using devices that require high power. A simple and rapid solution is the integration of an Arkimedes high-output power battery. This battery could be charged (for example, overnight) via the low-power connection, and it could provide the preferred high-output power whenever needed.

“Small” batteries can also become economically beneficial if you don’t own a PV system. You can obtain cheap electricity by storing electricity from the grid (charging the battery) when the price is low (often midday) and discharging the battery whenever the electricity price exceeds a certain price. This way you can always have cheap electricity. The stored electricity could also be traded to obtain profit, besides own consumption. The fact that batteries are becoming cheaper and the increase in the batteries lifetime will result in larger profits.