Solutions
Start with the problem, not the battery.
Most sites have one main reason to consider storage and one or two side benefits. Pick the situation that sounds most like yours.
Grid congestion
The grid is full. Your plans are not.
In congested regions, a request for a heavier connection can mean years on a waiting list. Storage behind the meter lets you add load within the capacity you already have – as long as there are hours with spare capacity to recharge.
Signs this applies to you
- Your request for more capacity is on a waiting list
- New equipment, chargers or a heat pump are planned
- Your demand is high for a few hours, not all day
What storage does here
The energy management system keeps grid demand under a set limit. When demand rises above it, the battery supplies the difference; when demand falls, it recharges from the grid or from solar.
Peak shaving
Short peaks set the size of your connection.
Many sites only exceed their contracted capacity for a handful of quarter-hours per day. Covering those moments with stored energy keeps the connection where it is.
Signs this applies to you
- Your meter data shows short, repeated peaks
- Machines, ovens or compressors start at the same time
- You pay attention to your contracted capacity and peak charges
What storage does here
We size power (kW) for the height of the peak and energy (kWh) for its duration. A tall, short peak needs a different system than a long, flat one – which is why the calculator asks for both.
- Grid demand (modelled)
- With storage
- Contracted capacity
- Solar output
EV fleet charging
Chargers that do not trip the connection.
When a fleet returns or starts at the same time, charging adds a block of load on top of the normal morning peak. Smart charging spreads it; storage covers what cannot be moved.
Signs this applies to you
- You plan to electrify vans, trucks or company cars
- Vehicles charge at the same times every day
- Smart charging alone does not keep you below the limit
What storage does here
Storage and load management work together: chargers get a dynamic limit, the battery fills the gap during the busiest hour and recharges overnight.
Solar self-use
Use the solar you already generate.
When export is limited or worth little, midday solar can go unused. Storing it for the late afternoon and evening shift increases how much of your own generation you use on site.
Signs this applies to you
- Your inverters are curtailed on sunny days
- You run a second shift after sunset
- You plan to add more PV on roofs or carports
What storage does here
The EMS charges from surplus solar first and discharges when solar drops. On a congested site this usually runs alongside peak shaving, not instead of it.
- Grid demand (modelled)
- Contracted capacity
- Solar output
Every site is different. Situations often overlap, and some sites are better served by load management or a different contract than by storage. The load-data analysis is designed to show which applies.