Electrical energy storage
Electrical design is developed against BS 7671 and the IET Code of Practice for Electrical Energy Storage Systems, with manufacturer requirements incorporated into the design.
Battery Storage
Battery storage should be sized around what the site is trying to achieve.
PB Energy designs solar-plus-storage and standalone battery solutions around load profile, tariff structure, grid limits, existing generation and operational priorities.
Power, capacity and operating strategy all matter
A battery’s kWh capacity is only one part of the design. The charge/discharge power, usable capacity, duty cycle, round-trip efficiency, inverter arrangement and control strategy all affect what the system can actually do for the site.
Typical commercial objectives
- Increase on-site use of solar generation
- Reduce exposure to higher-cost tariff periods
- Manage peak import demand
- Reduce avoidable export where network or tariff conditions make that useful
- Support future electrification loads
- Provide resilience where a system is specifically designed for backup operation
New solar and existing solar
Storage can be assessed alongside a new PV project or retrofitted to an existing installation. We review the existing metering, inverter configuration, DNO position and historic import/export data before recommending an approach.
We model the operating case
For commercial sites, half-hourly data is particularly valuable. It allows us to test different battery sizes and strategies against the site’s actual behaviour rather than relying on generic assumptions.
Standards & safety
Storage is an electrical and operational system — not just a battery cabinet.
Where MCS scope applies
The current MCS battery-storage installer standard covers qualifying electrical energy storage systems up to 50 kW and is used where the installation falls within its scope.
Network approval
Storage can count as generation for distribution-network purposes. Aggregate PV and battery export capability can change the connection route, so DNO requirements are considered early.
Location, fire and access
Commercial storage requires appropriate siting, segregation, access, environmental and fire-risk consideration, with the final approach shaped by the system, building, manufacturer and insurer requirements.
No one-size-fits-all answer
The right battery may be smaller — or larger — than expected.
We would rather show why a particular storage size fits the site than maximise equipment capacity. The commercial case should be driven by usable energy flows and a realistic control strategy.
Inputs we typically review
- Half-hourly import/export data
- Existing and proposed solar generation
- Tariffs and demand charges
- DNO export limits
- Peak load and operating hours
- Resilience requirements
- Future EV or electrification loads