Powering paradise comes with significant responsibilities.

In this episode of Power Onward, Kim talks with Sherif about how battery energy storage systems (BESS) are changing the way Australia and the Asia Pacific region keep the lights on.

From rooftop solar in suburban neighborhoods to remote islands, luxury resorts, and fast-growing data centers, Sherif shares how smarter storage is making energy cleaner, more reliable, and more cost-effective.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How BESS turns daytime solar into evening power for homes, schools, and councils
• How hybrid systems can cut diesel fuel use dramatically in remote and island communities
• Why data centers now look at BESS as part of core energy strategy, not just backup

Additional Resources:

• Cummins Microgrids
• Cummins BESS webpage 
• Why battery storage is now essential to microgrid development
• Key tips to help understand battery energy storage systems
• Power Onward podcast: Beyond your average household battery
• What are battery energy storage systems?
• How BESS is driving grid stability, supporting renewables, and accelerating the Middle East region’s clean energy goals

Interested in learning more? Subscribe to the [3-minute Power Up] to get breakthrough stories and the latest innovations in power technology delivered  straight to your inbox: https://www.cummins.com/news/podcast#subscribe  

Dive into the conversation:

(00:00) This is Power Onward

(01:22) How BESS shows up across APAC

(02:33) Energy shifting 101

(04:04) Pairing diesel, solar, and BESS to cut fuel use in remote locations

(05:01) A Pacific Island project that unlocks energy independence and steadier power

(05:53) How islands are using renewable microgrids as a differentiator

(07:06) Data centers, AI, and why batteries now support the digital world

(08:16) Where BESS is headed next in APAC

(08:54) The human impact behind the tech