Towards Realizing Value of Grid Connected Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) with Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Generation: A Case Study

The increasing concerns over global warming and climate change have prompted actions at national and industrial levels to prioritize the low carbon solutions to aid emissions reduction. In the electrical utility sector, a direct approach to this carbon reduction initiative is the integration of renewable energy (RE) sources into the grid. However, power output from RE sources like solar photovoltaic (PV) is intermittent according to the weather conditions where the PV is located and only available at certain times of the day. Consequently, as more RE power plants are connected to grid, they can disrupt traditional power flow patterns causing fluctuations in its power output and challenges in balancing power supply. With increase of RE penetration, to maintain power demand-supply balance, traditional power generation such as mechanical-driven generators must decrease its output. This causes the generator to operate at a lower efficiency due to higher heat rate. This translates to higher fuel consumption to generate a unit of electrical output. Battery energy storage system (BESS) represents one such solution to counter this issue when integrated with solar PV generation. Through energy shifting application, concentrated energy generated by the solar PV during the daytime can be stored in BESS and then distributed to the grid for the rest of the day. A feasibility study on integration of Grid Connected BESS to existing solar PV generation to provide round the clock RE generation for onshore facilities. This paper discusses the technical feasibility of this integration prior to actual implementation and highlights the expected value creation from the project.