Every farm needs a different energy system.

A poultry house, a dairy farm, irrigation, a greenhouse, a drying plant and a cold store have different consumption profiles. Some equipment runs continuously, other equipment in daily blocks or only during the season.

BESS – Battery Energy Storage System can help with own generation, demand peaks and backup. First, however, we need to understand the specific operation.

A large roof does not yet determine the size of the battery.

Photovoltaics on farm buildings can generate electricity for own consumption. How it is used depends on when ventilation, pumping, milking, cooling and other equipment operate.

Before storing energy, we look at the options for direct use. If, for example, pumping has a wider operating window, it may be suitable to align it with PV generation.

Operation takes precedence over optimisation.

In intensive livestock farming, ventilation, power supply to controls or pumping can be critical. Energy management should use flexibility only where it is operationally safe.

For backup, we identify the equipment, the required power, the acceptable interruption and the supply duration. We take existing backup sources into account. BESS alone, without suitable wiring, does not provide automatic backup.

Seasonality changes the economics.

Irrigation and harvesting equipment can create high demand for only part of the year. We therefore do not assess the battery according to the most demanding month.

Over the year, it can have different tasks: using photovoltaics, supplementing short-term power or providing a reserve for critical systems. Not all functions can be used to the full at the same time.

Multiple sources require coordination.

A farm with a biogas plant can combine cogeneration, photovoltaics, a battery and the grid. EMS – Energy Management System can coordinate these sources with own consumption within the technical possibilities.

For an initial assessment, we need the type of production, the load profile, the main equipment, own sources, seasonality and critical loads. We compare savings, operational benefit and the value of backup.