26/08/2025

Wattstor ATS: A Battery-First Alternative to Diesel Generators

Wattstor ATS control panel with status indicators for battery, load, and grid connections, showing open and closed circuit positions.

We’re proud to introduce Wattstor ATS, our purpose-built automatic transfer switch (ATS) that gives commercial and industrial facilities a clean, affordable, and practical alternative to diesel generators.

With Wattstor ATS, organisations can restore operations during grid outages using their existing battery energy storage systems (BESS). Instead of relying on fossil-fuel generators, facilities can use the renewable infrastructure they’ve already invested in – solar and battery storage – to keep essential systems running.

Why We Built Wattstor ATS

Most mid-sized facilities today operate grid-tied solar-plus-battery systems. But in the event of a grid outage, these systems usually shut down, leaving sites dependent on diesel backup. Traditional uninterruptible power supply (UPS) and generator setups are expensive, space-intensive, and often out of reach for schools, care homes, commercial buildings, and light industrial operations.

We saw this gap firsthand. Many organisations came to us looking for a cost-effective, low-carbon way to strengthen their energy resilience. Existing solutions either catered to small domestic systems or large-scale industrial facilities, but nothing was designed for mid-sized sites. So, we built our own.

 

Petr Ferko, Wattstor Test Engineer, takes the ATS through its paces

Petr Ferko, Wattstor Test Engineer, takes the ATS through its paces

How The Automatic Transfer Switch Works

Wattstor ATS manages the seamless switch from grid-connected to off-grid mode. During an outage, it triggers battery systems to provide backup power—reducing or even eliminating the need for diesel generators.

Unlike traditional ATS products, which only switch between grid power and generators, Wattstor ATS supports multiple operating modes. It can reactivate battery systems in islanded (off-grid) mode and supply either the full site or only selected critical loads.

Key Features of Wattstor ATS

  • Switches between grid and off-grid battery power, cutting reliance on diesel generation
  • Fully integrated with Podium EMS, our energy management system, so users can prioritise backup loads and reserve battery capacity for critical systems
  • Supplies up to 1 MW of backup power during outages
  • Quick and simple installation with minimal disruption
  • Extending the Value of Battery Storage

We know more mid-sized facilities are investing in battery storage to manage energy costs and peak loads. Wattstor ATS extends that same investment to provide resilience. By activating existing batteries during outages, we help organisations lower energy bills, reduce carbon emissions, and avoid costly diesel dependence—all with the infrastructure they already own.

We can now include the Wattstor ATS feature in any compatible future project, so contact our sales team if this is something you are keen to discuss.

💡Turn This Technology into Financial Security

Understanding the technology outlined is the first step. The complex management of these assets (optimising BESS cycles, load shifting, and tracking grid constraints) is exactly what Wattstor manages for you.

We maximise these onsite technologies to power Price Protect, our unique smart energy tariff, transforming energy price volatility from a commercial risk into a predictable asset, ensuring you never pay more than your agreed cap, but often paying less.

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