Commercial and Industrial (C&I) Storage Systems

Commercial and Industrial (C&I) storage systems are used for the energy management of industrial and commercial enterprises and are sized according to individual need (capacities in the range from 20 kWh up to several MWh) . Due to their comparatively high capacity and performance, they also can provide system services – in particular, a charging infrastructure for electric vehicles without requiring a cost-intensive and lengthy grid expansion. These storage systems ensure a reliable and secure energy supply, and in combination with a PV system, they can even replace a dedicated conventional fossil-fuel power plant. They are also economically attractive as they help to avoid expensive peak loads (peak shaving) and can accommodate variable electricity tariffs. In combination with photovoltaic electricity generated for self-use, commercial storage can help increase the solar self-sufficiency of the business. 

C&I storage has been used in critical infrastructures as an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) during power failures for decades. Hospitals, data centers and industry are now becoming increasingly interested in the multi-use application of this type of storage, in which self-consumption, peak shaving and charging infrastructure come into play in addition to security of supply. 

• Installed capacity and expansion demand
  • Installed capacity in Germany (2021): approx. 170 MWh¹
  • Total storage demand in Germany by 2030: 104 GWh, by 2045: 180 GWh, of which C&I storage can cover a significant share 
• Technologies:
  • Lithium-ion batteries 
  • Redox-flow batteries 
  • High temperature batteries (sodium-sulfur batteries and sodium-nickel-chloride batteries)
  • Combination of different battery technologies (hybrid storage systems) 
  • UPS: Lead-acid still dominant. Lithium-ion batteries growing stronger 
  • Future Technologies: e.g. zinc-ion batteries
• Advantages:
  • Economical
    Reduction of grid usage fees and electricity costs (peak shaving), use of variable electricity tariffs (energy arbitrage), reactive power compensation, prevention of grid expansion, use of own electricity in combination with decentralized RE. 
  • Ecological
    Increase self-consumption of renewable energy (PV) and solar coverage rate, reduce CO2 footprint, reduce grid expansion needs at distribution grid level.

[1]Figgener, J., “The development of battery storage systems in Germany: A market review (status 2022)”