AC and DC augmentation in BESS: the differences between the two approaches

energy-storage.news May 19, 2026

AC and DC augmentation in BESS: the differences between the two approaches

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · May 19, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

Battery energy storage system (BESS) owners are faced with capacity loss due to degradation over time. To overcome this, two main methods exist: overbuilding and augmentation. Augmentation involves adding extra capacity to the system over time as capacity degrades. There are two types of augmentation: AC and DC. AC augmentation connects new batteries to the AC bus of the BESS system, requiring new inverters and control systems, while DC augmentation adds battery capacity behind existing power conversion systems. Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages.

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