October 21, 2026 //
6:30 pm
Your business may already be looking at ways to reduce its electricity costs and become less dependent on the grid. Alternatively, you might already have solar panels and be looking to reduce your reliance on the grid even further.
Commercial battery storage plays an important role in helping you store electricity and have more control over your outgoings. It allows you to save electricity and use it when your business needs it most.
There is a lot of technical jargon when it comes to solar panels and commercial battery storage, but don’t worry, you don’t have to understand it all to get started. It is useful, however, to understand what commercial battery storage can do and the benefits it could have for your business.
In this blog, we’ll explain the benefits of battery storage and why it may be cost-effective for your business to have alongside your solar panels.
What is Commercial Battery Storage?
Commercial battery storage works simply by storing the excess electricity generated from your solar panels until your business needs to use it. When your demand for electricity increases, grid prices can become more expensive, your battery can help by releasing its stored energy, helping you power your business for less.
A battery can also be charged from the grid when electricity is available at a cheaper rate (more on this to come). You can also export surplus electricity back to the grid through the UK government scheme, Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), subject to requirements.
How Businesses Can Use Battery Storage
Peak shaving and load shifting are two ways that your business can get the best out of battery storage.
Peak shaving
This is where your business uses the stored electricity in your battery storage to reduce the amount you take from the grid during peak times. Rather than drawing all the additional power you need from the grid when you need it, you can use your battery storage to supply some of that energy. This can reduce your demand on the grid during peak times and help lower your running costs.
Example: If your business usually uses 40kW of power from the grid and several new machines are switched on at the same time, this could increase the amount you need to 70kW. If your battery storage can provide 20kW of that additional power, then your business only needs to draw an extra 10kW from the grid. Essentially, the battery has ‘shaved’ the top off of that peak grid demand.
Load shifting
This is the process of storing your electricity in your battery when the cost is cheaper and using it later, when the cost of electricity is higher. This allows you to move some of your electricity use from an expensive period to a cheaper time, without having to change your operating hours.
Example: Some businesses may benefit from plugging their battery into the grid overnight when electricity may be available at a cheaper off-peak rate. The stored energy can then be used during more expensive daytime periods.
Peak shaving and load shifting are often confused with each other, so the table below helps to explain the differences:
| Peak Shaving | Load Shifting |
| Reduces short periods of high power demand | Moves electricity use from one time to another |
| Focuses on how much power is drawn from the grid at once | Focuses on when the electricity is used |
| Battery storage supports equipment or machinery during a spike | Battery stores cheaper or extra electricity for a more expensive period |
Your business may be able to use one or both approaches depending on your energy consumption.
Other Ways Battery Storage Can Support Your Business
Beyond helping you manage when and how your business draws electricity from the grid, battery storage can provide other benefits.
Back up power
Your commercial battery storage can also be designed to supply your business and key equipment with energy during a power cut.
This is not something that is automatically included but is something that may be essential to your operations. Whilst it cannot be assumed that your battery storage will keep your whole business running during an outage, it can help with particular equipment or machinery and is worthwhile exploring if an outage could have a serious impact on your business.
An experienced installer will be able to advise you on what is possible and suitable for your individual situation.
Future flexibility
Your business’s energy needs may change as you grow. You might add in new machinery, extend your operating hours or expand your business premises.
It is worth considering any future plans when choosing your battery storage, as planning ahead can make it easier to expand or adapt your system later without having to replace the whole system.
Is Battery Storage Right For Your Business?
Commercial battery storage is worth exploring if your business:
- Generates extra solar electricity already
- Uses a large amount of energy outside daylight hours
- Has short periods of high demand
- Wants more control over your electricity usage and costs
The right set-up for your business depends on several factors, including your energy consumption, operating hours and your tariffs.
Take Control of Your Energy
The right commercial battery could help your business use more of the electricity it generates, reduce its dependence on the grid and make better use of cheaper electricity rates.
At Cerretti Electrical, our experienced, MCS-certified installers will assess your energy usage and help you understand whether commercial battery storage is right for your business.
Get in touch with our team to discuss your commercial battery storage needs and take greater control of your energy use.
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