As data center power density and uptime expectations rise, it's predicted that we'll see a rapid growth in the use of battery energy storage systems (BESS) in the next three to five years. While there are utilities working on flexible load tariffs for which data center operators could use storage when called upon instead of curtailing, many are turning to off-grid solutions because interconnection for new loads is taking too long, says Allison Weis, Global Head of Energy Storage, Power, and Renewables at Wood Mackenzie.
Located in Germany's Lusatia region, the upcoming energy storage facility will have a capacity of 4 gigawatt-hours of energy and will be able to take in a maximum power input of 1 gigawatt. That's the equivalent of 100 million 10-watt LED lights being turned on at the same time. Or 4,000 Tesla EVs charging at the same time, all peaking at 250 kilowatts.