Centrica is preparing its behind the meter energy storage offering to businesses after signing a framework agreement with Powerstar, a deal that has already seen Centrica order a combined 1MW of systems for its own head office.
Powerstar will now serve as the British Gas owner’s preferred supplier of its Virtue solution, which ranges from 50kW up to 10MW in capacity and has recently been awarded European and US Patents.
Apparently crucial to the deal is the power resilience offered by the Virtue’s Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) capabilities. Powerstar says this can allow businesses to make cost savings on network charges through peak DUoS shaving and TRIAD avoidance, as well as generate revenue from grid services.
The importance of power resilience for businesses was recently highlighted in a Centrica report, which surveyed more than 300 businesses in various industries and uncovered a range of economic, financial and safety concerns in the event of a power failure.
Alex Mardapittas, founder and chief executive officer of Powerstar, said: “To secure a framework agreement with an industry titan such as Centrica is a proud milestone for Powerstar during a period that has been filled with continued growth and development.”
The framework agreement has been marked by the order of two 500kW Powerstar Virtue systems for the Centrica head office in Windsor. They will have full load seamless UPS capacities and will be integrated with voltage regulation technology to provide energy optimisation.
The systems will be fully demonstrated to Centrica’s clients to showcase behind-the-meter storage solutions.
Where large scale front of the meter storage has dominated the deployment of batteries in the UK, changes frequency response and other grid services, de-rating within the capacity market, and uncertainty over the future of grid charges has left many eyeing the potential of the commercial behind the meter market.
Under the correct the right regulation and business models incorporating increased energy arbitrage, it has been estimated that the UK’s commercial and industrial sector could offer a 10GW market for battery energy storage.