BES Units are Fuel Savers

Battery Energy Storage (BES) units, also known as hybrid generator systems, hybrid battery units or simply hybrids, are becoming an increasingly popular way to reduce the environmental and economic impact of diesel generators. These units can be used in a variety of applications and provide several benefits when paired with a diesel generator.

With the rising costs of fuel in the last few years, and the increased awareness of the impact we are having on our planet, it has become more vital now than ever to utilise solutions to save fuel and increase efficiency.

In this blog, we'll explore BES units, how they work, and some of their many benefits.

What are Battery Energy Storage Units?

BES units are essentially batteries designed to store energy for later use, similar to the batteries you have at home. They work by converting the energy generated by a source, such as diesel generators, into electrical energy that can be stored in the battery. When the energy is needed, the battery can be programmed to release the stored energy, providing an immediate source of power that can be used when a diesel generator isn’t appropriate or enough, i.e. at night or at peak times to boost output.

Benefits of Battery Energy Storage Units

1. Increasing generator efficiency: By storing excess energy generated, BES units can reduce the need for diesel generators to continuously run during times the load on the generator is low, such as through the night. Known as low loading, a generator running with a smaller power load than it was designed for will operate a lot less efficiently than one at optimal load. Much like your car’s miles per gallon is far higher while driving at an optimal and consistent speed on the motorway versus the fluctuating speed of city driving. The BES unit will provide power at quieter times and tell the generator when to run to recharge it, at a high efficiency.
2. Cut Generator Runtime: As mentioned above, a site’s power requirement often fluctuates but rarely stops. A construction site, for example, will have high power requirements in the day with equipment and welfare cabins being well utilised, but at night only CCTV cameras and some lighting is needed. These peaks and troughs can be difficult for a traditional generator to handle, but when coupled with a BES unit, the BES provides power for quiet periods and can assist with peaks in demand. For example: a 100kVA generator paired with one of our 45kVA/90kWh BES units can see an estimated 50% reduction in fuel usage.
3. Reduce CO2 and NOx Emissions: By reducing the run time of diesel generators, BES units help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and harmful pollutants such as Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) produced by the generators.
4. Silent Power: Unlike traditional power sources, BES units are silent, making them ideal for use in residential areas, hospitals, and other noise-sensitive environments.
5. Power assist: enables short-term peaks in load to be covered by the inverter technology synchronising with the generator meaning that generator sizes can be reduced.

BES units offer several benefits over traditional temporary power solutions. From reducing diesel fuel consumption and emissions, to providing an uninterrupted power supply and being silent, these units are an ideal solution for reducing the fuel management costs on your next project.

You can read about Power Electrics' investments into BES units here or send us an enquiry at the link below.