Energy Storage Systems (BESS) – VRLA Batteries

Pros:

• Virtually maintenance-free
• Cost-effective
• Well-documented performance

Cons:

• Cannot be fully discharged without capacity loss
• Degrades if not maintained at optimum temperatures
• Limited discharge cycles over lifetime

Recent advancements include the Ultra-battery, a hybrid that integrates standard VRLA and ultra-capacitor technology, allowing for more partial discharge cycles. For more information on Battery Energy Storage Systems, contact their support.

VRLA batteries were first invented way back in 1934 with the modern VRLA battery invented in 1957. Since then they have been widely used in a range of uses, particularly Uninterruptible Power Supplies for power protection. With regards to Energy Storage Systems, there are a many that use VRLA batteries due to their cost and availability.

VRLA batteries have the following Pros and Cons for Energy Storage:

Pros

• Virtually maintenance free.
• Cost effective.
• Well documented / known performance of battery technology.

Cons

• Inability to fully discharge (100%) without affecting long term battery capacity.
• Degradation if not kept at optimum temperature.
• Limited number of discharge cycles during typical lifetime.

VRLA Battery Developments

Many manufacturers are developing new and improved versions, better suited to Energy Storage Systems. For example, the Ultra-battery is a VRLA hybrid comprising both standard VRLA architecture as well as an ultra-capacitor. This produces a battery that can handle significantly more partial discharge cycles than traditional VRLA batteries.