KARACHI: Battery energy storage systems (BESS), in combination with solar and wind power, can bring down electricity prices to as low as 6-8 cents per unit and also serve communities living far off the national grid, a study launched on Tuesday said.

Titled “Integrating Battery Storage with Renewables: A Techno-economic Analysis”, the study delineates the various use cases of BESS integrated with renewables and demonstrates how this hybrid proposition can meet the variational nature of demand in Pakistan’s power sector. It is a joint product of two independent think tanks — Renewables First and Policy Research Institute for Equitable Development.

Addressing the launching ceremony, energy experts, researchers and corporate management professionals explained how integrating cutting-edge technologies like BESS with renewable energy offers multiple advantages, including firm capacity, peak support, alleviation of frequency regulation issues, and grid stability.

They shared that renewable energy developers can use these hybrid systems to offer customised products tailored to consumers’ demand profiles.

Ubaid Ullah Khan, a researcher at Renewables First and one of the study’s authors, presented its findings and highlighted the assurance of a consistent and cheap supply of power to industrial consumers if batteries were integrated with renewable energy sources.

Other corporate leaders explained the techno-commercial viability of installing batteries at both ends: on and off grid.

Zi, Trina sign MoU

Meanwhile, Trina Solar, a solar photovoltaic (PV) and smart energy solutions provider, and Zi Solar, an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) company, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to collaborate on advancing solar energy adoption nationwide, with a specific focus on deploying 120MW of solar energy, according to a statement.

“With a focus on technology integration, project development, market expansion, and research and development, the partnership aims to drive sustainable energy development and address the growing demand for clean energy solutions,” it said.

Published in Dawn, May 8th, 2024