--- title: "‘Digital inertia’: Energy storage can stabilize grid with 1/10 the capacity of thermal generation" description: Battery energy storage can provide inertial response for system reliability more efficiently, at lower cost and with lower emissions than thermal generation. image: https://blog.fluenceenergy.com/hubfs/Blog%20Media/DPP%20Exterior.png --- [Fluence Energy Home ![Fluence Energy](https://fluenceenergy.com/wp-content/themes/fluence/assets/svg/static/branding/site-logo--color.svg)](https://fluenceenergy.com/) Menu Close - [Energy Storage](https://fluenceenergy.com/energy-storage-technology/) - [Smartstack](https://fluenceenergy.com/smartstack-energy-storage/) - [Gridstack Pro](https://fluenceenergy.com/gridstack-pro-energy-storage/) - [Gridstack](https://fluenceenergy.com/gridstack-grid-energy-storage/) - [Services](https://fluenceenergy.com/energy-storage-services/) - [Nispera APM](https://fluenceenergy.com/nispera-energy-asset-performance-management-software/) - [Mosaic Bidding](https://fluenceenergy.com/mosaic-intelligent-bidding-software/) - [Sustainability](https://fluenceenergy.com/sustainability/) - [About](https://fluenceenergy.com/about/) - [Our Story](https://fluenceenergy.com/about/our-story/) - [Leadership](https://fluenceenergy.com/about/leadership/) - [Safety](https://fluenceenergy.com/committed-to-safety/) - [Fluence in Taiwan (繁體中文)](https://fluenceenergy.com/taiwan/) - [Fluence in Japan (日本)](https://fluenceenergy.com/japan/nispera-energy-asset-performance-management-software/) - [Contact](https://fluenceenergy.com/contact/) - [Investors](https://ir.fluenceenergy.com/) - [Media Room](https://fluenceenergy.com/about/media-room/) - [Blog](https://blog.fluenceenergy.com/) - [Resources](https://fluenceenergy.com/renewable-energy-storage-knowledge-resources/) - [Careers](https://fluenceenergy.com/energy-storage-careers/) - Login - [Mosaic for CAISO](https://markets-caiso.amsarmada.com/caiso/login) - [Mosaic for the NEM](https://markets.amsarmada.com/markets/login) - [Mosaic for ERCOT](https://markets-ercot.amsarmada.com/ercot/login) - [Investors](https://ir.fluenceenergy.com/) - [Media Room](https://fluenceenergy.com/about/media-room/) - [Blog](https://blog.fluenceenergy.com/) - [Resources](https://fluenceenergy.com/renewable-energy-storage-knowledge-resources/) - [Careers](https://fluenceenergy.com/energy-storage-careers/) - Login - [Mosaic for CAISO](https://markets-caiso.amsarmada.com/caiso/login) - [Mosaic for the NEM](https://markets.amsarmada.com/markets/login) - [Mosaic for ERCOT](https://markets-ercot.amsarmada.com/ercot/login) [Fluence Energy Home ![Fluence Energy](https://fluenceenergy.com/wp-content/themes/fluence/assets/svg/static/branding/site-logo--color.svg)](https://fluenceenergy.com/) - [Energy Storage](https://fluenceenergy.com/energy-storage-technology/) - [Smartstack](https://fluenceenergy.com/smartstack-energy-storage/) - [Gridstack Pro](https://fluenceenergy.com/gridstack-pro-energy-storage/) - [Gridstack](https://fluenceenergy.com/gridstack-grid-energy-storage/) - [Services](https://fluenceenergy.com/energy-storage-services/) - [Nispera APM](https://fluenceenergy.com/nispera-energy-asset-performance-management-software/) - [Mosaic Bidding](https://fluenceenergy.com/mosaic-intelligent-bidding-software/) - [Sustainability](https://fluenceenergy.com/sustainability/) - [About](https://fluenceenergy.com/about/) - [Our Story](https://fluenceenergy.com/about/our-story/) - [Leadership](https://fluenceenergy.com/about/leadership/) - [Safety](https://fluenceenergy.com/committed-to-safety/) - [Fluence in Taiwan (繁體中文)](https://fluenceenergy.com/taiwan/) - [Fluence in Japan (日本)](https://fluenceenergy.com/japan/nispera-energy-asset-performance-management-software/) - [Contact](https://fluenceenergy.com/contact/) About Fluence is enabling the global clean energy transition with market-leading energy storage products and services, and digital applications for renewables and storage. [Learn More](https://fluenceenergy.com/about/) #### Get to know us - [Our Story](https://fluenceenergy.com/about/our-story/) - [Leadership](https://fluenceenergy.com/about/leadership/) - [Safety](https://fluenceenergy.com/committed-to-safety/) - [Fluence in Taiwan (繁體中文)](https://fluenceenergy.com/taiwan/) - [Fluence in Japan (日本)](https://fluenceenergy.com/japan/) #### Connect With Us - [Follow us on LinkedIn ![LinkedIn](https://fluenceenergy.com/wp-content/themes/fluence/assets/svg/static/social-round/linkedin-circle-icon.svg)](https://www.linkedin.com/company/fluenceenergy) - [Follow us on Facebook ![Facebook](https://fluenceenergy.com/wp-content/themes/fluence/assets/svg/static/social-round/facebook-circle-icon.svg)](https://www.facebook.com/fluenceenergy/) - [Follow us on Twitter ![Twitter](https://fluenceenergy.com/wp-content/themes/fluence/assets/svg/static/social-round/twitter-circle-icon.svg)](https://twitter.com/fluenceenergy) ![](https://fluenceenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Mega-Menu-Nispera-1200x999px.jpg) ![](https://fluenceenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/icon.png) ### Nispera is now part of Fluence. [Read more](https://blog.fluenceenergy.com/how-ai-and-machine-learning-are-driving-value-in-a-clean-energy-future) ## Products Fluence offers an integrated ecosystem of products, services, and digital applications across a range of energy storage and renewable use cases. #### Energy Storage - [Gridstack](https://fluenceenergy.com/gridstack-grid-energy-storage/) - [Ultrastack](https://fluenceenergy.com/ultrastack-transmission-energy-storage/) - [Sunstack](https://fluenceenergy.com/sunstack-solar-energy-storage-system/) - [Edgestack](https://fluenceenergy.com/edgestack-commercial-energy-storage/) #### Software - [Mosaic](https://fluenceenergy.com/mosaic-intelligent-bidding-software/) - [Nispera](https://fluenceenergy.com/nispera-energy-asset-management-software/) - [![Energy Storage Systems](https://fluenceenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Energy-Storage.jpg)](https://fluenceenergy.com/gridstack-grid-energy-storage/) [Energy Storage Systems](https://fluenceenergy.com/gridstack-grid-energy-storage/) - [![Intelligent Bidding](https://fluenceenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Intelligent-Bidding.jpg)](https://fluenceenergy.com/mosaic-intelligent-bidding-software/) [Mosaic Intelligent Bidding Software](https://fluenceenergy.com/mosaic-intelligent-bidding-software/) - [![Asset Performance](https://fluenceenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Asset-Performance.jpg)](https://fluenceenergy.com/nispera-energy-asset-management-software/) [Nispera Asset Performance Management Software](https://fluenceenergy.com/nispera-energy-asset-management-software/) Our Technology Our standardized Technology Stack makes it easier for you to rapidly and cost effectively deploy energy storage, and optimize storage and renewable assets. [Learn More](https://fluenceenergy.com/energy-storage-technology/) - [![](https://fluenceenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/ce389ed6-1bb1-11ec-a4a2-a0369f10330e-1.jpeg)](https://fluenceenergy.com/modular-energy-storage/) [Fluence Cube](https://fluenceenergy.com/modular-energy-storage/) - [![](https://fluenceenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/OS-Image_Mega-Menu.jpeg)](https://fluenceenergy.com/fluence-os-operating-system/) [Fluence OS](https://fluenceenergy.com/fluence-os-operating-system/) - [![](https://fluenceenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/8145fa68-1b22-11ec-b9df-a0369f10330e-1.jpeg)](https://fluenceenergy.com/fluence-iq-digital-platform/) [Fluence IQ](https://fluenceenergy.com/fluence-iq-digital-platform/) Products #### Energy Storage - [![](https://fluenceenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Technology-Mega-Menu-1.jpg)](https://fluenceenergy.com/energy-storage-technology/gridstack-grid-energy-storage/) [Gridstack](https://fluenceenergy.com/energy-storage-technology/gridstack-grid-energy-storage/) #### Fluence IQ Platform - [![](https://fluenceenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/AMS-Software-Screenshot_square-1.png)](https://fluenceenergy.com/energy-bidding-software/) [Bidding Application](https://fluenceenergy.com/energy-bidding-software/) Applications Energy storage provides the agility and efficiency to keep pace with an evolving energy landscape. [Learn More](https://fluenceenergy.com/applications/) - [![](https://fluenceenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Transform-network.png)](https://fluenceenergy.com/applications/energy-storage-for-flexible-reliable-networks/) [Transform Your Network](https://fluenceenergy.com/applications/energy-storage-for-flexible-reliable-networks/) - [![](https://fluenceenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Transform-generation.png)](https://fluenceenergy.com/applications/energy-storage-for-generation/) [Transform Your Generation](https://fluenceenergy.com/applications/energy-storage-for-generation/) - [![](https://fluenceenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Transform-energy-use.png)](https://fluenceenergy.com/applications/energy-storage-for-energy-users/) [Transform Your Energy Use](https://fluenceenergy.com/applications/energy-storage-for-energy-users/) Energy Storage Unlock the full potential of your network with energy storage. [Learn More](https://fluenceenergy.com/energy-storage-technology/) - [![](https://fluenceenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/fluence-smartstack.jpg)](https://fluenceenergy.com/smartstack-energy-storage/) [Smartstack](https://fluenceenergy.com/smartstack-energy-storage/) - [![](https://fluenceenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/gridstack-pro-nav-2.png)](https://fluenceenergy.com/gridstack-pro-energy-storage/) [Gridstack Pro](https://fluenceenergy.com/gridstack-pro-energy-storage/) - [![Gridstack Energy Storage](https://fluenceenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Gridstack-Mega-Menu.png)](https://fluenceenergy.com/gridstack-grid-energy-storage/) [Gridstack](https://fluenceenergy.com/gridstack-grid-energy-storage/) #### February 2, 2018 # ‘Digital inertia’: Energy storage can stabilize grid with 1/10 the capacity of thermal generation #### By Dr. Marek Kubik, Managing Director - UK, Ireland and Israel *This post was originally published on [Energy Storage News](https://www.energy-storage.news/blogs/digital-inertia-energy-storage-can-stabilise-grid-with-1-10-the-capacity-of).* On islanded (or isolated) grids with growing renewable penetrations, grid operators often struggle to maintain system stability. Operators in places as diverse as Ireland, Puerto Rico and Australia frequently rely on inertial response from thermal power plants like coal or gas-fired generators to balance sudden mismatches between supply and demand. However, recent research from Northern Ireland’s Queens University Belfast (QUB) finds that battery-based energy storage can provide inertial response for system reliability much more efficiently, at a lower cost and with substantially reduced emissions than a much larger quantity of thermal generation. QUB’s research found that just 360 megawatts (MW) of battery-based energy storage could provide the equivalent stabilisation to Ireland’s All-Island electricity system as would normally be provided by 3,000MW of conventional thermal generation. That shift to batteries could save up to €19 million (US$22.5 million) annually and could achieve approximately 1.4 million tonnes of annual CO2 savings. ### Inertia: A blink-of-the-eye grid balancing service | ![](https://www.energy-storage.news/assets/images/editorial/Wind-gas_graph_from_Everoze_report1.png) | | --- | | *Renewables replacing thermal generation in the 2016 energy mix. Source: Everoze* | Inertia is a system-wide service that responds to fluctuations in electricity frequency in the first fraction of a second of an imbalance between supply and demand – for example, when a power station suddenly drops offline. Traditionally, this stabilising hand has come from the kinetic energy provided by the spinning mass of (synchronous) generators that produce electricity from fossil fuels. All this occurs well within the first half a second of an issue – literally, the time it takes a human eye to blink. Traditionally the electric power sector has not thought of it as service. It’s just part of the physics of synchronous generators; and we don’t miss something until it’s gone. As the proportion of energy from (non-synchronous) wind and solar grows this source of traditional ‘analogue’ inertia is in increasingly short supply. The typical solution to this has been to hold back wind and solar output during such times, but this is growing increasingly costly as renewable penetration grows. Let’s face facts: paying not to use zero-fuel cost and zero carbon renewables isn’t a tenable solution in the long run; and would require a significant overbuild of renewable capacity to achieve the same decarbonisation targets. Energy needed during curtailment is often provided by fossil fuel-powered thermal generators, running when they don’t need to be or running at a higher set point than they need to be, wasting fuel and adding cost. ### Battery-based energy storage: A more efficient solution However, an alternative solution is close at hand. Energy consulting firm Everoze recently released a recent report [‘Batteries: Beyond The Spin’](https://info.fluenceenergy.com/everoze-report-digital-inertia-ireland-island), based on the QUB research. QUB’s two-year research project, funded by the UK Government through an Innovate UK Energy Catalyst grant, studied operating data from the 10MW AES Kilroot Advancion Energy Storage Array in Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland. QUB researchers observed that battery-based energy storage can supply the equivalent system services provided by traditional generators far more efficiently, and without some of the drawbacks such as post-event recovery oscillations. By modelling the energy storage array’s impact at scale, the QUB team found that the array’s response time – approaching 0.1s – provided the same effective stabilisation as analogue inertia.  This speed of response, an order of magnitude faster than even the UK [Enhanced Frequency Response service tendered last year by National Grid](https://www.energy-storage.news/news/50mw-of-enhanced-frequency-response-batteries-go-online-in-britain-from-vlc) would allow just 360MW of fast responding batteries to provide the equivalent stabilisation to Ireland’s All-Island electricity system as would normally be provided by 3,000MW of conventional thermal generation. By removing the technology bias to "analogue inertia," and letting batteries provide an equivalent "digital inertia" service the report outlines how Ireland’s electricity system could save up to €19 million ($22.5 million USD) annually, the result of allowing thermal generators to operate more efficiently, reliably and with reduced maintenance needs. In addition to savings to consumers, analysis by Everoze showed clear environmental benefits of a move towards battery-based energy storage. Ireland could achieve annual CO2 savings of approximately 1.4 million tonnes as a result of adopting digital inertia. Those savings are equivalent to cutting the emissions from an entire city the size of Cork (population ~208,000) in Ireland -- or Salt Lake City, Utah in the United States, Bordeaux, France, or Nogales, Mexico. The key to achieving those cost and carbon reductions and gains in stability lies in removing regulatory barriers that prevent batteries from providing those services. Both the language and structure of managing inertial response are today framed around incumbent technology.  This lack of technology neutrality is a barrier to innovative solutions. ![](https://www.energy-storage.news/assets/images/editorial/AES_ES_Los_Mina_DPP_Dominican_Republic_Exterior_22.jpg) *Battery energy storage array in the Dominican Republic. Source: AES / Fluence.* ## Opportunity for digital inertia as renewables scale up Unsurprisingly, islanded grids facing growing penetrations of renewables will be the first to address these questions at scale.  While it may take time, larger interconnected grids approaching significant renewable penetration will learn from the experiences of smaller grids such as Ireland. - In the US, FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) has begun to study reforming how grids maintain sufficient primary frequency response, a similar service to inertia. - [South Australia is quickly adopting renewables in a similar fashion](https://www.energy-storage.news/news/south-australias-aus150m-renewable-technology-fund-supports-energy-storage) as Ireland, where energy storage could provide similar stabilisation services and reduce curtailment at points of weak interconnection. - The UK’s National Grid is also flagging growing needs within the next few years in its [System Needs and Product Strategy](https://www.energy-storage.news/news/national-grids-uk-frequency-response-procurement-process-aims-at-transparen).  The Island of Ireland is a world leader in clean electricity, thanks to a progressive grid policy by Ireland's state-owned transmission system operator EirGrid and Northern Irish equivalent SONI.  To date, analogue inertia has served the power system well – managing the rate of change of frequency in the blink of an eye to keep the system stable at all times. QUB’s research should now compel us to re-evaluate our options, prompting a fundamental re-evaluation of how we balance supply and demand on a sub-second basis. We, the team at Fluence, together with Everoze and QUB, believe it’s time to go ‘beyond the spin’ and unlock the cost-saving, efficiency-boosting and carbon-cutting power of batteries. ##### Share - - - ![](https://blog.fluenceenergy.com/hubfs/Marek-Kubik-Headshot_HubSpot.png) Marek is a managing director at Fluence with over a decade of experience in clean tech, which includes playing an instrumental role in delivering Europe’s first grid-scale commercial storage project in 2015. He leads the UK, Ireland & Israel team where he is responsible for overseeing the origination, development and commercial negotiation of energy storage technology and services sales. ### Get the latest news ## Related Posts #### [Industry Trends November 4, 2024 Driving Innovation: How Fluence Prioritizes and Brings New Battery Technologies to Market](https://blog.fluenceenergy.com/driving-innovation-fluence-battery-technologies) #### [Industry Trends September 19, 2024 Six Pillars of Grid Resilience: The Critical Role of Grid-Scale Energy Storage](https://blog.fluenceenergy.com/grid-resilience-critical-role-grid-scale-energy-storage) #### [Industry Trends December 6, 2021 The Clean Energy Accelerator: Storage as Transmission Enhancement in Lithuania](https://blog.fluenceenergy.com/clean-energy-accelerator-storage-transmission-enhancement-lithuania) ## Most Popular #### [Industry Trends April 7, 2026 More Power, Less Waiting: Why Storage is the Secret to AI Scalability](https://blog.fluenceenergy.com/more-power-less-waiting-why-storage-the-secret-ai-scalability) #### [Industry Trends July 17, 2025 How Fluence's Dispatchable Energy Guarantee Drives Improved Market Outcomes](https://blog.fluenceenergy.com/fluence-dispatchable-energy-guarantee-drives-improved-market-outcomes) #### [Industry Trends January 7, 2025 Powering Intelligence: How Energy Storage is Enabling the AI Revolution](https://blog.fluenceenergy.com/powering-intelligence-how-energy-storage-enabling-ai-revolution) ### Connect - [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/fluenceenergy) - [Twitter](https://www.facebook.com/fluenceenergy/) - [YouTube](https://twitter.com/fluenceenergy) Copyright © 2026 Fluence. All rights reserved. - [Website Privacy Policy](https://fluenceenergy.com/website-privacy-policy/) - [Electronic Waste Policy](https://fluenceenergy.com/electronic-waste-policy/) - [Forward-Looking Statements](https://fluenceenergy.com/about/forward-looking-statements/) - [UK Tax Strategy](https://blog.fluenceenergy.com/hubfs/2023%20Fluence%20UK%20Tax%20Strategy_final.pdf) Any transfer of personal data processed by Fluence entities established in the European Economic Area (including the member states of the European Union, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein) to areas outside of this area is based on Binding Corporate Rules and EU Standard Contractual Clauses. Website by ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Dr. Marek Kubik, Managing Director - UK, Ireland and Israel", "url" : "https://blog.fluenceenergy.com/author/dr-marek-kubik-market-director" }, "datePublished" : "2018-02-02T15:42:01.000Z", "headline" : "‘Digital inertia’: Energy storage can stabilize grid with 1/10 the capacity of thermal generation", "image" : [ "https://blog.fluenceenergy.com/hubfs/Blog%20Media/DPP%20Exterior.png" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.fluenceenergy.com/-digital-inertia-energy-storage-can-stabilise-grid-with-1/10-the-capacity-of-thermal-generation", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "//blog.fluenceenergy.com/hubfs/Fluence_logo_with_copyline_WEB.png" }, "name" : "Fluence" } } ```