Portable diesel or gasoline generators are commonly found on construction sites to help with power needs in areas with no grid power or access to electrical power. However, battery energy storage systems (BESS), which store power generated elsewhere, are increasingly being found on construction sites—sometimes as standalone sources of power or as a supplement or adjunct to diesel- or gasoline-powered generators.

Recently, Moxion Power Co., Richmond, Calif., contracted with Sunbelt Rentals, a leading supplier of leased tools and equipment based in Fort Mill, S.C., to deliver more than 600 MP-75/600 mobile battery units over the next year. These battery units will be in lieu of portable generators that have traditionally been used on work sites and for any purpose requiring mobile, temporary power.

This bank of mobile batteries is an ideal substitute for industries that have historically relied on generators for temporary power, including construction, disaster response, utilities, film and live events. These mobile battery banks have enough energy capacity to run for days or weeks before recharging is needed. They can be charged with renewable energy, making them a cleaner and more sustainable solution than diesel generators.

Mark Wilton of Sunbelt Rentals wrote in an article on the American Rental Association's website that BESS units complement standard generators run on fossil fuels. “Adding a BESS to each generator helps with sizing the generator to the load, reduce generator runtime, fuel costs and overall emissions,” Wilton said. “The excess power produced while the generator runs recharges the BESS batteries. When the generator is switched off, the BESS supplies the load. When the load exceeds what the hybrid setup can support or when the batteries are depleted, the generator resumes operation. Advanced telematics allows a BESS to automatically manage power from various sources to ensure the greatest energy efficiency, lowest maintenance, and least environmental impact.”

The battery storage systems are advantageous, but haven’t been used as much in the past. This might be due to firms not being as concerned about sustainable solutions as they are now or because battery storage capacity hasn't been as sophisticated and ample as battery technology is becoming. We should expect to see this as a viable alternative to traditional generator power, or at least a complement to it.