Exide Technologies is a global provider of stored electrical energy solutions, with operations in over 80 countries around the world. It manufactures and markets batteries for a wide range of applications, from cars to railroads and is an increasingly powerful player in the fast-growing energy storage market. Research by IHS says this industry is set to explode in the coming years, with grid-connected storage alone expected to go from an installed base of under 7 GW in 2017 to over 40 GW in 2022.
Exide has worked on many ground breaking energy storage projects, including off-grid island deployments, rural electrification projects and large-scale solar parks. Its solutions are also used in homes and businesses looking to decrease their reliance on the grid. With its wide range of technologies and experience, Exide can offer expert and impartial advice on the most efficient and cost-effective approach for each project.
Balancing the grid
Renewables form an ever greater share of the global energy mix. Solar capacity increased from 177 GW to 227 GW between 2014 and 2015, according to data from REN21. Wind power capacity grew from 370 GW to 433 GW in the same period. As renewable capacity grows, volatility becomes the biggest obstacle we face: balancing power generation and consumption when there is no way to control the sun or the wind. Energy storage systems provide a solution to this increased volatility, allowing excess energy to be stored away and then used in times of reduced power generation.
Storage technology is also expected to play a major role in frequency response. For example, when the UK’s National Grid published a recent tender for 200 MW of enhanced frequency response capacity, most of the submissions proposed battery storage.
