The Double Benefit of a Smart EMS

One solution to grid congestion is the use of batteries. Batteries balance supply and demand, easing the pressure on the electricity grid.

But here’s the dilemma: should you fully utilize your battery capacity to address local grid congestion, or should you also take advantage of the lucrative imbalance market by offering flexibility?

Or is it possible to do both? Keep reading, and by the end of this article, you’ll have your answer.

The importance of storage in the imbalance market

When energy consumption deviates from forecasts, fluctuations in the grid need to be corrected as quickly as possible.

This is where the imbalance market comes into play. Companies with flexible energy assets, like batteries, can offer this flexibility on the imbalance market.

By making PV and EV controllable, they become flexible and therefore attractive for the imbalance market. And that’s a win-win.

Why the imbalance market is highly attractive

If your company generates more energy than it consumes, instead of letting that energy go unused, you can offer flexibility on the imbalance market. This is particularly profitable during peak times, when electricity demand is high and prices surge.

The challenge: conflicting interests

While the imbalance market can be financially attractive, it also presents challenges. The key question remains: how do you balance using your battery for optimizing local energy management and maximizing profits through the imbalance market?

Suppose your battery is crucial for resolving local grid congestion to ensure the continuity of your business operations. In such a case, offering your battery’s flexibility on the imbalance market can be risky, as it might compromise your local energy management.

You need a system capable of making real-time decisions, prioritizing where battery capacity is most valuable—whether it’s to reduce grid congestion or to profit from the imbalance market.

The role of a smart EMS

This is where a smart EMS comes into play. The EMS (Energy Management System) acts as the brain behind all energy-related activities, collecting and analyzing real-time data to make intelligent decisions. The EMS integrates all energy assets—such as batteries, solar panels, and heat pumps—and coordinates them to maximize efficiency.

How a smart EMS maintains balance

One of the key advantages of a smart EMS is its ability to optimize local networks by addressing grid congestion automatically. For instance, if you face a peak in energy demand that exceeds the contracted capacity, the EMS proactively manages the situation by drawing energy from batteries or temporarily shutting off certain consumers, thereby smoothing the peak and preventing congestion.

Businesses using an EMS benefit from more efficient energy management, reducing energy costs and avoiding expensive grid expansions.

Dual use of energy storage

A smart EMS dynamically switches between local energy management and the imbalance market, ensuring you always capitalize on the best energy options. It predicts when your battery is needed for grid congestion and when it can be used for trading, providing extra revenue and making energy storage profitable.

During the day, batteries can handle peak demands and support local energy needs, avoiding grid congestion. Once local demand decreases, the same system can offer the remaining battery flexibility on the imbalance market. This not only generates additional income but also makes energy storage more viable.

Without a smart EMS, balancing these conflicting interests would be nearly impossible. The EMS ensures you always make the optimal choice, depending on current grid conditions and market prices.

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