The power needs of datacentres and industries are growing faster than ever and will account for 10% of total electricity consumption in some countries in the near future. At the same time, the demand for clean energy drives the massive deployment of inverter-based wind and solar generation. This results in an increased need for intraday flexibility (x2 until 2030) and grid stability issues. In this situation, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) will play a crucial role in meeting the dual challenge of supplying sufficient clean power and maintaining grid stability at all times.
In particular, Behind-The-Meter BESS can play an important role for power-hungry datacentres, for which access to power and grid connections are becoming major hurdles to growth. We will examine the challenges and opportunities in this context and illustrate, through the first real-world examples, how BESS can transform large power consumers into “grid-friendly” flexibility providers, benefiting both the asset owner and the grid. We will discuss different operational schemes, present a business case in operation in France, and outline a path for future developments from technical, economic, and regulatory perspectives.
