The expanding storage market demands qualified professionals.

The lack of qualified professionals is one of the main challenges for the consolidation of the battery energy storage (BESS) market in Brazil. This is the assessment of Matheus Bueno, Pre-Sales Coordinator at Fox ESS Brazil, and Paula Bordin do Prado, an electrical engineer specializing in storage systems at the company.

The professionals participated in the Papo Solar podcast last Tuesday (27), when they discussed the challenges of training in the sector and a partnership between Canal Solar Educacional and Fox ESS are partnering to train professionals. More information about the initiative will be released soon.

"Training is a pain point in the market," Bueno stated during the episode.

According to experts, one of the obstacles lies in trying to apply the same commercial and technical methods traditionally used in grid-connected photovoltaic systems to storage.on-gridThis approach, described by Paula as a "mindset bias," can make it difficult to identify the specific needs of each client.

According to those interviewed, in the BESS market, defining the solution depends on a more detailed analysis of the consumption profile, energy supply conditions, and consumer objectives. Therefore, sales and installation require a technical and consultative approach, rather than simply replicating previous projects.

Paula emphasizes that the conversation with the client needs to start from concrete situations in order to correctly size the system.

“[We] try to direct the questions to the end customer, because if you ask the end customer, who is a layperson, how long they want battery life, that's it, 24 hours. It's different from asking them, when their power goes out, how many hours they are actually without power?”, he explained.

The difference lies in understanding the consumer's real need for autonomy. An establishment that experiences frequent, short interruptions, for example, may require a different setup than one that cannot be interrupted for extended periods.

A growing market demands qualified professionals.

According to professionals, the advancement of storage in Brazil increases the need for professionals capable of designing, sizing, installing, and marketing systems according to each application.

According to data from ABSAE (Brazilian Association of Energy Storage Solutions), the Brazilian BESS market is driven, among other factors, by a 53% reduction in battery costs between 2020 and 2025. 

The projections cited point to a market with the potential to generate R$ 77 billion by 2034. Despite cost reductions and increased opportunities, the availability of skilled labor remains a challenge. 

The data presented in the reference material indicates that 74% of recruiters report difficulties in filling technical positions. In this scenario, training becomes important not only to increase the number of available professionals, but also to avoid errors in the specification and installation of equipment.

Improper application of solutions can compromise system performance and prevent the consumer from obtaining the expected results. Therefore, understanding battery characteristics, safety requirements, and customer consumption profiles is fundamental for market development.

Opportunities for BESS in the Brazilian market

During the Solar Talk event, representatives from Fox ESS highlighted that the more than 50% drop in battery prices has contributed to making the technology more accessible to different consumer profiles, although the investment may still be higher than that of a conventional photovoltaic system.

Among the main opportunities for energy storage in the country are the C&I (commerce and industry), agribusiness, charging stations, and residential market segments.

Trade and industry

In the C&I segment, BESS can help companies reduce energy costs and increase the security of their electricity supply. One of its applications is... peak shavingThis involves using stored energy to reduce peak demand and, depending on the tariff structure and consumption profile, decrease expenses related to contracted demand.

Another possibility is to store energy during cheaper periods to use it during peak hours, a strategy known as... load shiftIn addition to cost savings, batteries can provide power to essential equipment during power outages, provided the system is sized and configured for this purpose.

Hotels, supermarkets, and industries are among the establishments that can use BESS to reduce the impacts of supply failures, complementing or, in certain applications, reducing dependence on diesel generators.

Agribusiness

In agribusiness, energy storage can be combined with solar power generation to increase the use of energy produced and reduce dependence on diesel generators.

The solution can support activities that require a continuous power supply, such as irrigation systems, refrigeration, product storage, and other operations that depend on electricity.

In addition to helping control operational costs, the combination of solar energy and batteries can reduce the consumption of fossil fuels, depending on the system configuration and operating characteristics.

Residential systems

In the residential market, opportunities are related to the increase in self-consumption of solar energy and the search for greater autonomy from the electricity grid.

With changes in distributed generation regulations and challenges related to power flow reversal in certain networks, energy storage can allow some of the energy produced during the day to be used later, instead of being immediately injected into the grid.

Batteries can also provide power during power outages, provided the system has backup capabilities and circuits configured to keep the selected loads running. Feasibility depends on the household's consumption profile, the system's capacity, and the installation costs.

Electrostations

The electric vehicle charging infrastructure also represents an opportunity for BESS. At charging stations, batteries can supply some of the power needed during peak demand periods, reducing the load on the electricity grid.

This application can facilitate the deployment of chargers in locations where existing infrastructure has power limitations or where expansion would require significant investment. Storage also allows batteries to be charged during periods of lower demand and the stored energy to be used during charging sessions, according to the technical and economic conditions of the project.

To learn more about this topic, watch Popo Solar #198 here.  link

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