what if you could...
Pay less for the energy you use?
Depending on the time of day and the grid that you're on, it's very common to have peak energy rates much higher than the off peak rate.
In these cases, you can use the battery to charge at the lower rates and discharge at the higher rates, saving a significant amount of money.
And if you don't need to use that energy, you can trade it back to the grid when prices rise, unlocking a new revenue stream for your business.
Have a reliable, renewable source of back-up power?
For businesses that require 100% uptime from their infrastructure, including their electrical assets, back-up power is a must. But in the past, this often meant expensive, carbon-intensive diesel-powered generators.
With BESS-as-a-Service from ABB, you can make the switch to 100% renewable energy, even for your back-up power. It's a great way to showcase your commitment to sustainability, and with the included energy management platform, you can track usage for ESG reporting.
Meet your sustainability goals and lower costs at the same time?
BESS-as-a-Service helps businesses save on energy costs by using stored power when grid rates are highest and providing backup power during outages. Businesses can store solar energy during the day while the sun is shining, and then use it at night, whilst also ensuring that the power they're using is always renewable.
It's a great example of being both more cost efficient and more sustainable at the same time.
Do all this with no capital expenditure?
ABB Electrification Service’s unique as-a-service model means that you can power your possibilities, thanks to a BESS solution, with no upfront capital expenditure. All the hardware, software, and support services are included in the as-a-service package.
We take care of the design of the system, the installation and commissioning including capital works, and even the ongoing maintenance of the system.
To find out more, request an obligation-free feasibility assessment.
You can,
with BESS-as-a-Service from ABB
engineered to outrun
engineered to outrun
engineered to outrun
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Outrun unreliable power: The role of battery energy storage systems in data centers
By Andressa Ferraz
Sustainability Advisory Services Leader for the EMEA region
The data center industry is experiencing exponential growth, driven by increasing demand for digital services, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence. This growth has led to escalating energy demands, making decarbonization and reliability critical concerns. Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are emerging as a pivotal solution, offering enhanced sustainability, power reliability, and bolstered cybersecurity, Andressa Ferraz, Sustainability Advisory Services Leader for the EMEA region.
Read more
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Outrun unreliable power: The role of battery energy storage systems in data centers
By Andressa Ferraz
Sustainability Advisory Services Leader for the EMEA region
The data center industry is experiencing exponential growth, driven by increasing demand for digital services, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence. This growth has led to escalating energy demands, making decarbonization and reliability critical concerns. Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are emerging as a pivotal solution, offering enhanced sustainability, power reliability, and bolstered cybersecurity, Andressa Ferraz, Sustainability Advisory Services Leader for the EMEA region.
Ensuring power continuity and reliability
Data centers often differentiate themselves by making pledges to their customers of near-constant uptime. This in turn means data centers need reliable power supplies, and solid back-up power systems, in case the worst should happen and the grid connection is lost.
A BESS mitigates voltage fluctuations from the grid and provides frequency regulation, ensuring a stable and reliable power supply. This support is vital for data centers that rely on consistent energy inputs to safeguard sensitive equipment and prevent unexpected downtime.
A BESS solution can also act alongside an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), providing clean backup power during outages, ensuring critical operations continue without interruption. A BESS can be used to manage the first hours of downtime instead of a traditional diesel-powered generator, often removing the need to burn any fossil fuel at all.
Reduce operational costs, energy consumption and emissions
Because of their high demand for electricity, data center operators have a strong focus on green energy. But it’s important to recognise that renewable power generation can be unreliable – the sun doesn’t always shine, and the wind doesn’t always blow. And with their 24/7 operations, data centers need round the clock reliability.
A BESS allows data centers to store energy from renewable sources like solar or wind, reducing reliance on fossil fuels. This integration not only lowers carbon footprints but also supports broader environmental responsibility goals.
With the help of AI-powered software, BESS solutions can optimize energy usage, minimizing waste and improving overall operational efficiency. This allows data centers to balance their energy consumption dynamically, ensuring minimal losses and greater energy efficiency.
Deliver value from day one
It has to be acknowledged – traditional BESS implementations involve significant upfront costs, and require specialist knowledge and skills. Installation often involves coordination between many stakeholders and suppliers.
And data centers have a particular concern when it comes to cybersecurity – attacks can be made on the data stored in these facilities, and attempts to steal data can shut down their whole system.
But ABB’s unique BESS-as-a-Service model addresses all of those concerns. Thanks to this model, implementing a BESS on your site is possible with no up-front capital expenditure. In addition, the planning, installation and ongoing maintenance of the equipment is handled by ABB – your single point of contact for all aspects of the implementation. You’ll also get access to management software that allows you to monitor the system from a single screen and act as barriers to cyber attacks – all ensuring that services continue uninterrupted. And by taking advantage of strategies like peak shaving, you can start to see returns from day one.
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Take control of your energy
A guide to BESS-as-a-Service for Facilities and Operations Managers.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a BESS (Battery Energy Storage System)?
A battery energy storage system, or BESS, is an onsite solution for energy storage. You can use the battery to store energy purchased from the grid, or energy that you have generated on your own premises. This energy can then be used to smooth out unreliable grid supply, bolster inadequate supply, or act as back-up in the event of total grid failure.
As well as being used for electricity storage, a BESS allows you to engage in energy arbitrage and peak shaving to make the most out of your energy use, and turn power into profit.
Precise battery capacity and chemistry is determined by customer need – ABB will work with you to determine your requirements and deliver a BESS solution that will help you meet all your objectives.
What is energy arbitrage?
Energy arbitrage is the practice of purchasing energy when it is cheap, and selling it back to the grid when the prices are higher.
Businesses that generate their own energy, through solar panels or wind turbines for example, can also choose to sell excess energy back to the grid.
The most efficient way of generating income from energy arbitrage is to use automated software that tracks prices and capacity and programmatically trades energy when the rewards are largest.
What is peak shaving?
Peak shaving is the practice of purchasing energy when rates are low – at night, for example – and storing it in a battery for use when the prices are higher.
The practice empowers businesses to optimise their energy use and reduce their overall operation costs.
What is power smoothing?
The supply of power from electrical grids can sometimes be unreliable, especially when that power is provided via renewable methods. Power smoothing, or grid smoothing, is a practice that uses battery energy storage systems (BESS) to mitigate the problems of variable outputs from the grid.
BESS systems sit between your grid connection and the consumption of power, and use stored energy to smooth out the differences in output so that your equipment receives an uninterrupted, reliable energy supply.
What is the capacity of the battery?
The specifications of the battery you use will be defined by your need. ABB's BESS-as-a-Service solution includes a comprehensive analysis of your business objectives, energy use, and future expansion plans.
ABB guarantees that the useable capacity of your battery will meet your requirements for the life of the battery – even taking into account the natural degradation of battery capacity over time. That means if you need 5MW for 10 years, your battery will be designed to deliver that capacity for the whole life of the system.
How is it possible to get a BESS without any up-front capital expenditure?
ABB's BESS-as-a-Service uses a unique financing model that means there is no up-front capital expenditure required. Instead, the system is paid for using a predictable subscription plan, allowing you to build it into your ongoing operational expenditure.
You can find out more about the financing model in our guide for finance teams.
How do I know if BESS-as-a-Service is right for me?
To find out more about ABB's BESS-as-a-Service offer, and how it can help you take control of energy, request an obligation-free feasibility assessment.
Request an obligation-free feasibility assessment
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