A simple energy storage system typically functions as a passive, relatively isolated battery. Its primary function is to store electrical energy—for example, from surplus solar power—and release it when the facility needs it. Such a device is usually not fully integrated into the facility’s overall energy management system and therefore cannot independently assess changes in load, electricity prices, or other market signals.
A BESS (Battery Energy Storage System) is a comprehensive technological system integrated into a facility’s electrical infrastructure, featuring an automated control interface. When connected to a smart energy management system (EMS), it functions as an active tool for controlling energy processes. The BESS storage system analyses the company’s consumption patterns, helps manage power surges, and reduces peak loads so that the business does not have to unnecessarily increase its contracted power capacity.
Unlike a simple battery, BESS can evaluate Nord Pool exchange prices via the management system and make algorithm-based decisions. The system can store energy during the cheapest or even negative price intervals and direct it to the company’s processes during more expensive periods. Therefore, for businesses, BESS is not a backup power source but an active financial-cost-optimisation solution that enables an effective response to fluctuations in electricity prices on the exchange.