BESS noise has ‘exploded as a concern’ recently

LinkedIn
Twitter
Reddit
Facebook
Email

The noise of battery energy storage system (BESS) technology has “exploded” as a concern in the last six months, an executive from system integrator Wartsila ES&O said.

BESS units primarily emit noise from their cooling systems, but balance of system (BOS) components like inverters and transformers also produce noise emissions. Growing deployments mean projects are being built nearer to populations and in more population-dense regions, creating potential problems for local acceptance.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Enjoy 12 months of exclusive analysis

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Annual digital subscription to the PV Tech Power journal
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

“I’d say that in the last six months noise has exploded as a concern. One of our team just toured a dozen customers in Europe and every single one brought up concerns about noise, and what we are doing to mitigate it. A year ago, nobody asked,” said Darrell Furlong, director of product management and hardware for Wartsila ES&O (energy storage & optimisation).

Sound is bound to be more of a concern for population-dense Europe compared with places like the US, but Furlong said that he first noticed it for projects in Australia, where land is also far more plentiful than Europe.

“The first customers I recall bringing it up were in Australia, but now it’s a global thing – everyone is focusing on it,” Furlong added, talking to Energy-Storage.news at the recent Energy Storage Summit USA in Austin, Texas.

BESS solutions are getting more energy-dense which requires additional cooling. Wartsila itself just launched a new product which has an energy density of 4MWh per 20-foot unit, versus 1.6MWh prior, and it comes with additional noise suppression systems.

Many China-based companies have 5MWh systems in the same space, and Western system integrators like Wartsila and Powin are subsequently responding.

More sophisticated cooling systems mean that the noise emissions are not necessarily growing with the increased energy density, however. Inverter and BESS firm Sungrow pointed out to Energy-Storage.news in a recent interview that its latest generation product increased the energy-per-container from 2.5MWh to 5MWh but the max noise emissions went from 79dB to 75dB.

Energy-Storage.news’ publisher Solar Media will host the 2nd Energy Storage Summit Asia, 9-10 July 2024 in Singapore. The event will help give clarity on this nascent, yet quickly growing market, bringing together a community of credible independent generators, policymakers, banks, funds, off-takers and technology providers. For more information, go to the website.

Energy-Storage.news’ publisher Solar Media will then host the 1st Energy Storage Summit Australia, on 21-22 May 2024 in Sydney, NSW. Featuring a packed programme of panels, presentations and fireside chats from industry leaders focusing on accelerating the market for energy storage across the country. For more information, go to the website.

3 June 2025
Stuttgart, Germany
Held alongside the Battery Show Expo Europe in Stuttgart, Energy Storage Germany spotlights Germany’s rapid ascent in the European storage sector. Once driven by residential demand, utility-scale projects are now surging, with 184 MW added across 44 projects in 2023. With nearly 16 GWh of capacity installed in the first half of 2024, Germany is set to integrate 24 GW of utility-scale energy storage by 2037, creating substantial opportunities.
11 November 2025
San Diego, USA
The 2024 Summit included innovative new features including a ‘Crash Course in Battery Asset Management’, Ask-Me-Anything formats and debate-style sessions. You can expect to meet and network with all the key industry players again in 2025 from major US asset owners, operators, RTOs and ISOs, optimizers, software and analytics providers, technical consultancies, O&M technology providers and more.
24 February 2026
InterContinental London - The O2, London, UK
This isn’t just another summit – it’s our biggest and most exhilarating Summit yet! Picture this: immersive workshop spaces where ideas come to life, dedicated industry working groups igniting innovation, live podcasts sparking lively discussions, hard-hitting keynotes that will leave you inspired, and an abundance of networking opportunities that will take your connections to new heights!

Read Next

April 30, 2025
Grid limitations can impact the business case for battery storage assets for a number of reasons, writes Amira Belazougui of Clean Horizon.
Premium
April 30, 2025
Leading BESS owner-operators in the UK have signalled their opposition to the government’s cap and floor support scheme for long-duration energy storage (LDES) in an open letter. We spoke to one its signatories James Basden, founder of Zenobē, about why.
April 29, 2025
Australia’s MGA Thermal has completed what it claims is the world’s first industrial steam heat energy storage demonstrator project.
April 29, 2025
Energy-Storage.news proudly presents our sponsored webinar with Clean Horizon on the economics of renewables-plus-storage in Europe.
April 29, 2025
Australian renewables developer Edify Energy submits 180MWh solar-plus-storage site in New South Wales to Australia’s EPBC Act.

Most Popular

Email Newsletter