Energy technology solution vendor Generac Power Systems has announced the acquisition of PowerPlay Battery Energy Storage Systems, a division of SunGrid Solutions, Inc. PowerPlay specializes in providing turnkey battery energy storage systems (BESS) solutions tailored for commercial and industrial (C&I) projects up to 7 MWh. The transaction closed on June 26, 2024. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“This acquisition supports our commitment to offer a more complete ecosystem of products and solutions to domestic commercial & industrial customers, empowering them to achieve their energy objectives with a strong emphasis on resilience, efficiency and sustainability,” said Aaron Jagdfeld, president and CEO of Generac, in a press release.

A BESS stores and delivers electricity from a battery installation. It is most often a component of a renewable energy source such as solar or wind. The BESS stores excess energy generated by the renewable source for use when that source is idle (for example, at night for solar) or when an outage occurs. A BESS is typically managed remotely.

BESS installations up to 7 MWh are commonly deployed in C&I enterprises, including retail stores, restaurants, office buildings, manufacturing facilities, and healthcare facilities. C&I facilities might use a BESS for additional electrification, to counter rising utility rates, or enhance reliability against central grid fluctuations due to weather, blackouts, or lack of infrastructure. Battery systems allow C&I businesses to build a resilient, efficient and sustainable on-site distributed energy system.

The PowerPlay business will continue its operations in Cambridge, Canada, and serve as a dedicated research and development facility for Generac’s C&I BESS solutions. SunGrid Solutions will continue its energy storage EPC operations across the United States and Canada, specializing in solutions ranging from 10 MWh to 1 GWh.

Generac Power Systems provides backup and prime power products and energy storage systems for home and business applications, as well as energy monitoring and management devices and services, along with other power products.