Future-proofing BESS: Advanced controls for evolving energy markets

by Alex Bamberger, VP of Digital Solutions

The nature of grid balancing services has changed rapidly in the last five years, with new services introduced that reward fast, accurate flexibility. This has increased battery participation significantly while improving project economics and lowering the cost of balancing variable generation to the consumer. Sometimes these changes have been years in the making, while others, such as the Demand Flexibility Service in the UK was launched in just a couple of months in 2022 in response to changing market dynamics. The rest of the world is also moving fast, with various initiatives being rapidly implemented across markets in Europe, Asia and North America, reflecting a global trend towards incentivising flexible, dispatchable resources, a key component of renewables dominated energy systems.

Across markets, electricity systems are evolving structurally, operationally and through advances in technology to enhance security, reliability and affordability. For example, the UK’s first grid-forming battery was connected in March 2025, replicating the behaviour of traditional generators through its control systems by setting its own frequency and voltage. Meanwhile, countries such as Australia, Germany and the US are exploring and investing in similar grid-forming capabilities to support high renewable energy adoption.

National energy authorities are increasingly publishing roadmaps and consultation documents – like the UK Government’s Clean Flexibility Roadmap which intends to make flexibility a part of day-to-day life for both consumers and industrial and commercial businesses. Alongside these developments, the National Energy System Operator (NESO) consults regularly on changes to balancing services to widen access and improve procurement to cut system costs and enhance reliability.

Enhancing flexibility for changing market dynamics

When taken together, there is a shift underway which will take batteries from primarily offering frequency to having the opportunity to stack multiple services. Advanced power plant controllers and energy management systems are vital for asset owners seeking to maximise the opportunities that this will bring, as well as ensuring continued compliance and future-proofing assets in this ever-evolving market.

Stay competitive with RESolve

RES’ solution to this opportunity – RESolve – is a suite of powerful, flexible tools designed to maximise control, integration and insight across energy assets. As an end-to-end platform, it can optimise performance across a project’s lifecycle from component integration to service dispatch. RESolve standardises monitoring, reporting and dispatch delivering real-time control, fleet-wide visibility and advanced diagnostics across all assets. On entering the market, it delivers performance across value streams; currently 21 value streams across 12 electricity markets including the US, UK, Ireland and the Nordics.

A further differentiator for the solution is its modular, vendor-agnostic design and flexible architecture, which can be adapted to accommodate market changes and new services. While existing systems are optimised for the market conditions at commissioning, RESolve empowers operators to flex their operations to maximise the opportunities presented by markets in constant flux. Whether that’s integrating more cells in response to locational signals, hybridisation of a solar site to become an integrated solar and storage site or tweaking algorithms to change the battery’s response profile. Rather than redesign the system, with RESolve, the existing architecture is easily modified.

By implementing state of the art system controls from the outset, asset owners can maximise efficiency, improve project returns and build in operational flexibility so that assets can be adapted throughout their lifetime, ensuring enduring value however the market changes.

About:

Alex Bamberger, VP of Digital Solutions

Alex is Vice President of Digital Solutions at RES, bringing over 15 years of experience at the intersection of clean energy and enterprise software. His career focuses on designing, integrating, and operating complex systems at scale, with an emphasis on how early digital decisions shape long-term performance and risk.

Alex has led product strategy, digital platform development, and business growth across renewable energy and energy storage portfolios, including integrating new technologies and acquisitions into operational environments. His work bridges technical control systems, commercial strategy, and real-world project delivery, providing a grounded perspective on how digital infrastructure supports resilient, reliable clean energy assets.

Known for building and leading high-performing teams, Alex connects business needs with individual growth and fosters collaboration between technical and commercial disciplines. Through speaking and industry engagement, he shares practical insights on how alignment, clarity, and early decision-making enable better outcomes in complex energy systems.

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