How Peak Shaving Works in Practice
Peak shaving is a cost-effective strategy used by businesses to reduce electricity expenses by minimizing peak electricity demand. It involves reducing power usage from the electric grid during peak periods, which can be achieved through various methods:
Strategies for Peak Shaving
- Demand-Side Management: This involves curtailing demand by scaling down production, deactivating unused machinery, or limiting power to flexible loads such as electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
- Supply-Side Management: This involves leveraging local power sources to decrease reliance on the grid. Key strategies include:
- Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS): Store energy during off-peak hours and release it during peak times to reduce strain on the grid.
- On-site Generation: Utilize solar panels, wind turbines, or backup generators to produce electricity during peak periods.
- Renewable Energy Sources: Solar and wind energy can directly offset grid demand, especially during predictable peak hours.
Suitable Loads for Peak Shaving
Certain loads are particularly suitable for peak shaving due to their high power draw and flexibility:
- Electric Vehicle Charging Stations: High-demand DC fast charging stations can benefit from battery storage to control peak energy usage.
- HVAC Systems: Large air conditioning and heating systems can be optimized to reduce energy consumption during peak times through storage or on-site generation.
- Energy-Intensive Appliances: Appliances like water heaters and refrigeration units can be controlled to avoid peak usage.
Benefits and Implementation
Peak shaving offers several benefits, including reduced energy costs, financial predictability, and increased energy security. It is essential to integrate battery storage to buffer energy use and optimize solar systems for peak shaving. Best practices include determining peak hours based on local time-of-use tariffs and setting up battery discharging periods accordingly to minimize grid reliance during peak times.
In practice, businesses can implement peak shaving using a combination of demand and supply-side management strategies tailored to their energy usage patterns and local energy tariffs. The integration of renewable energy sources and battery storage systems is crucial for effective peak shaving, allowing businesses to reduce their reliance on the grid during peak hours and save on energy costs.
Original article by NenPower, If reposted, please credit the source: https://nenpower.com/blog/how-does-peak-shaving-work-in-practice/
