1.Energy storage before the meter, energy storage after the meter, large energy storage, industrial and commercial energy storage

The core difference between pre-meter energy storage and post-meter energy storage lies in the deployment location and application scenario: pre-meter energy storage is directly connected to the grid side (before the meter), serving the grid peak regulation, new energy consumption, etc.; post-meter energy storage is deployed on the user side (behind the meter), mainly used in scenarios such as industrial, commercial and household peak-valley arbitrage.

2. Basic Analysis Large Reserve

Large storage is like a "super charger" or "stabilizer" for the power grid, and its main service object is the entire power system.

Huge scale: Usually built in open areas, with hundreds or even thousands of battery containers, the investment scale is huge, often hundreds of millions or even billions of yuan.

Voltage level: MW-100MW (huge) 

(1) Core functions

Frequency regulation : The grid frequency must be stable at 50Hz. When there is an imbalance between power generation and consumption, the frequency will fluctuate. Large storage can respond in milliseconds, rapidly charging and discharging to smooth out frequency fluctuations, which is one of its most important values.

Peak shaving : discharging during peak hours of electricity consumption and charging during off-peak hours, just like "peak shaving and valley filling", to alleviate the congestion pressure on the power grid.

New energy consumption : It is built next to wind farms or photovoltaic power stations to store intermittent and unstable wind power and photovoltaic power, and then send it out when needed, making the green electricity output more stable and predictable.

(2) Business Model

1. Leased capacity: charging capacity leasing fees to power grid companies or new energy power plants

2. Ancillary service income: compensation for providing frequency regulation, peak load regulation and other services

3. Electricity market transactions: Participate in the spot market to arbitrage peak-valley price differences

Industrial and commercial energy storage

Industrial and commercial energy storage is like a "private factory power bank" or "electricity bill manager" for industrial and commercial enterprises. Its main service target is a specific factory or commercial entity.

Smaller scale: directly installed next to the factory's power distribution room or on the roof, it occupies a small area, and the investment ranges from hundreds of thousands to tens of millions of yuan.

Voltage level: kW-MW (medium)

(1) Core functions

Peak-valley arbitrage : This is the core and most direct profit model. Taking advantage of the "peak, flat, and valley" time-of-use electricity prices implemented in most parts of China, energy storage is charged during off-peak hours (nighttime, when electricity is cheaper) and discharged for business use during peak hours (daytime, afternoon, and evening, when electricity is more expensive). By profiting from the price difference, investment costs are recovered and profits are generated. The larger the peak-valley price difference, the better the economics.

Demand management : Utilities charge businesses a "maximum demand charge," based on the highest peak power usage during a month. Energy storage systems can discharge power when power usage is about to exceed a set threshold, effectively reducing this peak power usage and thus saving on this cost.

Backup power supply : In some scenarios with high requirements for power supply continuity (such as data centers and precision manufacturing), energy storage can seamlessly switch to provide short-term backup power when the mains fails.

(2) Business Model

1. Self-investment and self-use: The owner invests the money himself, and the electricity cost saved is the profit.

2. Energy Management Contract (EMC): Third-party investment and operation, sharing energy-saving benefits with owners

3. Financial leasing: Owners obtain equipment through financing to save electricity costs and repay the loan

Home energy storage

Home energy storage, as the name suggests, is the application of energy storage systems within the home. It is often closely integrated with household photovoltaics (rooftop solar) to form a photovoltaic + energy storage system, often referred to as a "home integrated photovoltaic storage system."

Smallest scale: The power is generally between 3kW-30kW, and the capacity is around 5kWh-50kWh (equivalent to a large outdoor power supply, but enough to support the operation of critical household loads for hours or even days).

Voltage level: kW level (small), connected to the household low-voltage power grid (220V/380V), plug and play.

(1) Core functions

Increasing the self-consumption rate of photovoltaic power generation: This is the core function. During the day, if households don't use all the electricity generated by photovoltaic power generation, the excess is sold to the grid (at a lower price). With energy storage, this excess electricity can be stored and used at night when household electricity consumption peaks, significantly reducing the amount of electricity purchased from the grid (at a higher price).

Peak-valley arbitrage: In some countries and regions that implement peak-valley electricity prices for residents (such as some provinces and cities in China, Europe and the United States), households can charge their batteries at night when electricity prices are low during the off-peak hours, and use the stored electricity during the day when electricity prices are high during the peak hours, saving electricity bills.

Emergency backup power: In the event of a power outage, the energy storage system can automatically switch to provide emergency power to households, ensuring uninterrupted power needs for basic necessities such as lighting, refrigerators, and mobile phone charging. This is particularly suitable for areas with unstable power grids or frequent natural disasters.

Participating in a Virtual Power Plant (VPP): Home energy storage systems can be aggregated through a cloud platform to form a massive "virtual power plant." When the grid needs it (e.g., during periods of extreme power shortages), grid operators can dispatch these distributed energy storage resources for unified discharge, providing support to the grid. Participating households can also receive corresponding financial rewards.

(2) Business Model

1. Household users purchase for their own use: one-time investment, long-term electricity cost savings