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Energy storage – Optimizing energy storage

November 15, 2024 ryansheehanrts

New optimization techniques have emerged as powerful tools to address these challenges. By considering not only factors like electricity prices, demand forecasts, but also real time battery data and battery degradation, operators can make smarter decisions about when to charge, discharge, or idle their systems. These strategies not only boost immediate profitability but also preserve the long-term health of energy storage assets, ensuring increased long term profitability.

Market dynamics and energy storage optimization

Understanding market behavior is crucial for optimizing energy storage systems. Electricity prices fluctuate due to various factors like grid demand, renewable energy availability, and regulatory policies. Energy storage operators can take advantage of these price fluctuations by charging batteries when prices are low and discharging when prices are high. Other key revenue streams, like grid support and frequency regulation, also play a vital role. Grid support services, such as voltage regulation and load balancing, help stabilize the grid during periods of high demand or unexpected outages, ensuring operational efficiency. Frequency regulation, which maintains the grid’s correct operational frequency (typically 50 or 60 Hz), relies on energy storage to quickly respond to imbalances by either absorbing or releasing power.

Also see: Battery revenues forecast to rebound in 2026

Leveraging predictive algorithms enables energy storage systems to adjust their operations based on forecasted market trends, weather data, and regulatory signals. By doing so, operators can position their systems to enhance financial performance.

Battery degradation and lifecycle management

Battery degradation is one of the most significant challenges in energy storage operations, and its complexities go beyond the simple metrics of usage. The performance and longevity of a battery are influenced by a variety of interconnected factors, including depth of discharge, frequency of use, and temperature variations. For example, while deep discharge cycles can shorten battery life, it’s not just about how deep the discharge is, but also how frequently these deep cycles occur, the charging rates applied afterward, and the operational conditions under which the battery is used.

Frequent cycling causes wear and tear, but the specific effects of each cycle vary depending on the battery’s state of charge, thermal environment, and electrochemical properties. These factors create a highly intricate system where understanding how individual cycles impact battery lifetime—and long-term profitability—is an ongoing challenge. Battery health degradation is non-linear and difficult to predict without advanced monitoring systems and predictive analytics.

Read more about storage here

To extend battery life and maintain capacity, it is crucial to manage these factors with precision. Limiting deep discharges, optimizing charge cycles, and controlling operational temperatures are foundational practices, but the integration of real-time data analysis to predict degradation patterns is equally important. Proactive management through sophisticated lifecycle monitoring and adaptive control strategies not only reduces maintenance costs but also enhances the return on investment. A strategy that balances immediate operational efficiency with long-term battery health maximizes profitability and ensures the reliability of energy storage systems over time.

Operational constraints in battery systems

Optimizing energy storage is not just about market dynamics or degradation management. Operational constraints play a vital role in ensuring the system runs efficiently within its physical and technical limits. For instance, maintaining an optimal state of charge prevents both overcharging and deep depletion, which can damage the battery.

Also interesting: New guideline for increased fire protection in battery storage systems

Adhering to limits on charge and discharge rates is equally important. Exceeding these rates can lead to irreversible damage, reducing battery lifespan and effectiveness. Moreover, compliance with grid requirements, including power quality and frequency support, ensures seamless integration of energy storage into the grid. These operational parameters, when integrated into the optimization process, safeguard battery health and ensure sustained profitability over time.

Incorporating cost functions

Optimization is the process of making the best possible decisions to achieve specific goals while minimizing costs or maximizing efficiency. In the context of battery operation, optimization ensures that the battery system performs at its highest potential by making strategic decisions, like when to charge or discharge. A key tool in this process is the cost function, which assigns values to different operational scenarios based on factors like electricity prices, battery degradation, and market demand. By evaluating these factors, a well-designed cost function helps operators make data-driven decisions that improve real-time profitability and overall system efficiency.

An innovative aspect of this approach lies in the ability of cost functions to integrate both short-term market dynamics and long-term operational goals. For example, an innovative cost function not only suggests charging during periods of low electricity prices and discharging during peak times but also incorporates insights into battery health and how much the operation will affect the long term profits. This allows operators to plan for operation at optimal times, extending the battery’s lifespan while maintaining revenues. By combining real-time market analysis with battery health, this advanced cost function ensures both immediate financial gains and prolonged system reliability.

Decision-making processes and optimization algorithms

The decision-making processes for managing Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) have been transformed by the introduction of sophisticated optimization algorithms. Unlike traditional approaches, where operators rely on static models or manual oversight, today’s data-driven systems enable dynamic, real-time decision-making that adapts to various factors such as market conditions, battery health, and grid demands. This shift marks a significant improvement over conventional methods, which often fail to capture the complexity of efficiently and sustainably operating modern energy storage systems.

Also interesting: Central & Eastern Europe – Utility-scale storage market set to increase fivefold by 2030

This new approach is revolutionary in several ways. It replaces the outdated, one-size-fits-all model of battery operation with one that is adaptive and intelligent. The algorithms take into account a variety of conditions, enabling operators to fine-tune system performance based on real-time data rather than relying on fixed schedules or reactive measures.
Moreover, these decision-making tools contribute significantly to sustainability.

By optimizing when and how batteries are used, operators can minimize wear and tear, reducing the need for frequent replacements and lowering lifecycle costs. This not only decreases material waste but also ensures that energy storage systems can operate longer before requiring upgrades or replacements. Additionally, by improving the efficiency of energy storage, these algorithms support the broader adoption of renewable energy sources like solar, accelerating the transition to a cleaner, more sustainable energy future.

Conclusion

The optimization of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) through advanced algorithms has transformed energy management. Moving beyond traditional, reactive methods, these data-driven approaches enable real-time decision-making that boosts both efficiency and long-term profitability. By optimizing battery use, minimizing degradation, and extending system life, operators can increase revenues while ensuring sustainability and reducing waste.

Website of Reli Energy

This innovative approach balances short-term market gains with the widespread integration of renewable energy, positioning optimized BESS management as a key driver in the shift toward a more sustainable and profitable energy future.(Laura Laringe/hcn)

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Solar Energy

The smarter E AWARD 2025: Applications can now be submitted

November 7, 2024 ryansheehanrts

The winners will be announced and presented with their awards at an official ceremony on the eve of The smarter E Europe on May 6, 2025 at Messe München.

The categories of the competition demonstrate the diversity and the interconnectedness of the four sub-exhibitions Intersolar, ees, Power2Drive and EM-Power as well as the role of The smarter E as the leading platform in the industry’s key areas.

More about The smarter E Award 2025

The five award categories

The world of energy and mobility is undergoing fundamental and dynamic change, with a focus on deeper and smarter integration of technologies and sectors. The five categories of The smarter E AWARD are a tribute to this diversity and complexity:

Photovoltaics: The Photovoltaics category recognizes “classic” innovations in the solar industry – from solar cells and modules to PV components, mounting and tracking systems, and production technologies.

Energy Storage: Experts are calling this the decade of energy storage, which is a cornerstone of our climate-neutral 24/7 energy supply. For this reason, the Energy Storage category recognizes exceptional innovations in the storage industry – from energy storage technology and components to battery production technologies.

E-Mobility: The mobility sector is key to the success of the energy transition. Prizes in the E-mobility category honor innovations and projects that move the mobility transition forward, especially in the areas of charging infrastructure, intelligent charging solutions, e-vehicles, mobility services or traction batteries.

Smart Integrated Energy: The Smart Integrated Energy category recognizes technologies and solutions for intelligent energy management and cross-sector use of renewable energies in a holistic and flexible system. The focus lies on grid infrastructure, energy services and operator models.

Outstanding Projects: There is an exclusive category for outstanding products and services that were integrated into a global renewable energies project: Outstanding Projects. The products or services eligible for this award can be in any area of the energy system, from photovoltaics, hydrogen, storage technology, mobility to grid operation. Requirement: The project must have been fully realized between January 31, 2023 and January 31, 2025.

Who can apply

Whether you participated in Munich, São Paulo, Mexico City, Gandhinagar or Dubai – all exhibitors of the international event series The smarter E and the associated individual exhibitions can submit their applications for the renowned industry award between November 1, 2024 and January 31, 2025. In the Outstanding Projects category, legal owners of a system or project are also eligible.

An international panel comprised of industry experts will then thoroughly review and evaluate all submissions in terms of pioneering work, innovative power and economical and ecological benefits. (hcn)

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Solar Energy

Desert Blume project: long-term storage for solar parks

November 6, 2024 ryansheehanrts

This is the first time that the battery storage manufacturer Cmblu Energy has delivered an organic large-scale storage system of this size to an energy utility in the USA.

The company, along with Arizona-based Salt River Project (SRP), announced the successful launch of the joint pilot project “Desert Blume,” which will integrate a 5-megawatt, 50-megawatt-hour capacity organic solid-flow battery into an existing and expanding solar farm near the major U.S. city of Phoenix by the end of 2025.

SRP’s Copper Crossing Energy and Research Center is already home to a 20-megawatt solar farm, which will be joined by another 55 megawatts of photovoltaics, a 99-megawatt natural gas-fired power plant and several heat-resistant long-term battery storage systems without lithium-ion technology by 2026.

“Desert Blume” aims to prove performance and efficiency of SolidFlow battery

The project will serve as a pilot to demonstrate the performance and efficiency benefits that the non-flammable, solid as well as liquid electrolyte-based Organic SolidFlow batteries can deliver in the challenging environment of the Arizona desert. At the same time, they provide over 1,000 homes with a maximum of ten hours of excess clean energy from Arizona’s solar farms. Cmblu Energy expects its recyclable battery system, based on environmentally friendly materials, to be able to store and re-inject energy two to three times longer per cycle than conventional lithium-ion technology, which is typically designed to store energy for one to four hours.

“Desert Blume” is expected to make a correspondingly clear case for the cost-effectiveness of the innovative and sustainable technology once it starts operating. Storage operation will be monitored by the renowned Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), which will validate the battery’s performance data under the hot and dry environmental conditions in Arizona. As recently as July 2023, Arizona had experienced several heat records.

SRP and Cmblu Energy are optimistic about their future collaboration

“We are excited about the privilege of working with Cmblu and gaining experience with this highly innovative technology,” said Jim Pratt, CEO of SRP. “The SolidFlow battery will be a useful addition to SRP’s energy system, helping to provide stored power for longer periods of time, especially during periods of high and fluctuating energy demand from customers in the Valley of the Sun. It will be a helpful addition to SRP’s many renewable systems and storage projects, which typically can only store energy for up to four hours.”

Also interesting: Dual chemistry EES for Royal Mint Energy Centre

“Desert Blume is an important project to validate large-scale Organic SolidFlow batteries and promote safe, sustainable, long-term energy storage in the United States,” explained Ben Kaun, president of Cmblu Energy’s U.S. subsidiary. “We are very excited to partner with SRP to help the utility rapidly transition to clean energy and to have the opportunity to demonstrate our technology in the southwestern United States. Phoenix is one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the country with large solar potential, making it an ideal environment for next-generation long-term storage.”

U.S. market with huge potential for Cmblu Energy – exhibtion in September

SRP had decided to collaborate with Cmblu Energy after an RFP for long-term storage from emerging energy storage companies. Production of battery storage for the Desert Flower project is scheduled to start in early 2025. Following the announcement of a pilot battery storage project in cooperation with Milwaukee-based WEC Energy, the cooperation with SRP is now the second major entrepreneurial milestone for Cmblu Energy in the US. The U.S. market is particularly attractive for storage companies in view of the high energy demand, rather unstable power grids and government subsidy programs, and the demand for scalable storage without conflict raw materials is particularly high here.

Did you miss that? Innovative zinc battery stores electricity and produces hydrogen

At the industry’s leading trade fair RE+, which will take place in Las Vegas from September 11 to 14, Cmblu Energy will present the “Desert Blume” project in detail to experts and many thousands of visitors. (hcn)

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Solar Energy

Eastern Europe – Increasing focus on integrated PV development

October 21, 2024 ryansheehanrts

One of the fastest growing photovoltaic markets in Europe is currently Romania. In 2023, systems with a capacity of around 1 gigawatt (GW) were installed, an increase of over 300 percent compared to the previous year. At the end of 2023, solar power systems with a capacity of almost 3 GW had been installed in Romania. This figure is expected to double by the end of 2025.

According to the National Institute of Statistics, energy production from PV systems rose by more than 60 percent to 2.57 billion kilowatt hours between January and August of this year alone. High levels of solar radiation, falling costs, various incentive programs and the desire for greater energy independence and climate protection are driving the expansion of photovoltaics in the EU country.

Already over 200,000 prosumers in Romania

The Romanian Photovoltaic Industry Association (RPIA) currently has over 60 companies as members, including German project planners such as BayWa r.e., as Policy Officer Irene Mihai reported. More than 200,000 prosumers in Romania generate some of their own electricity using solar power and are increasingly using battery storage.

Also see: Central and Eastern Europe increasingly in the solar gigawatt class

PV systems on commercial buildings and solar parks are also on the rise. In the second week of October alone, the energy regulatory authority ANRE approved licenses for the commercial use of solar park power generation capacities with a total output of 62 megawatts (MW).

Expansion of PV production must be flanked

However, the rapid expansion of photovoltaics and wind power is creating a number of challenges, as is also the case in other regions. “Grid capacity and grid connections are one of the biggest hurdles for the further expansion of photovoltaics, not only in Romania,” says Mihai.

Also see: Market moves up and down, generally with good prospect

This must be accompanied by the expansion of battery storage, demand-side management (load control), the promotion of energy communities, power purchase agreements (PPAs) and the reduction of bureaucracy, as other industry representatives emphasized at the CISOLAR & GREENBATTERY 2024 conference (October 15-17, 2024) in the Romanian capital.

Karl Moosdorf

Discussion panel at CISOLAR & GREEN BATTERY 2024 in Bucharest: Hans-Christoph Neidlein (pv Europe), Gabriel Avacaritei (Energyomics), Bianca Dragusin (Keno Energy) v.l.

Among other things, regulations for the implementation of PPAs and large PV battery projects, as well as a reform of the double grid fee for storage projects and fewer bureaucratic hurdles for energy communities (as actually provided for by EU law) are urgently needed, it was stated at the three-day event (October 15 to 17).

Moldova relies on resilience and renewables

Carolina Novac, Secretary of State in the Moldovan Ministry of Energy, made similar comments. From 2023, the small country will be completely independent of Russian gas supplies for the first time. By 2025, Moldova will also no longer be dependent on electricity supplies from a major power plant in the pro-Russian separatist region of Transnistria. The expansion of the country’s own renewable energy supply, the expansion of the energy infrastructure and the increase in energy efficiency played an important role in this, Novac emphasized.

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According to the National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP), greenhouse gas emissions are to be reduced by 68.6 percent by 2030, while the share of renewable energies in total energy consumption is to be increased to 27 percent and in the electricity mix to 30 percent. Primary energy consumption is to be limited to under 3,000 kilotons of oil equivalent (ktoe) and final energy consumption to under 2,800 ktoe. The potential of wind energy for electricity generation from renewable energies is estimated at around 20.8 GW, with photovoltaics at 4.7 GW, plus 840 MW of hydropower and 850 MW of biomass. In 2023, wind turbines with 132.7 MW and photovoltaic systems with 76.9 MW will be installed.

Focus on an integrated approach

“We are taking an integrated approach to expanding the renewable energy supply,” emphasized Novac. This includes, on the one hand, the recently launched first tender for wind and solar projects, coupled with 15-year PPAs and CFDs (Contracts for Differences), and, on the other hand, the promotion of storage projects, energy communities and active energy consumers, biogas and energy generation from waste for dark and cloudy periods and peak times, as well as the expansion of the electricity grid.

Also see: EBRD supports renewables in Romania and Moldova

An important role is played by the expansion of the grid connection with Romania and thus with the EU. These plans are also influenced by the country’s increased European orientation, which a narrow majority of voters in an EU referendum on October 20 voted in favor of, as it stands now. (hcn)

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Solar Energy

World Energy Outlook 2024 – IEA calls for more investment in grids and energy storage

October 18, 2024 ryansheehanrts

The latest edition of the World Energy Outlook (WEO) of the International Energy Agency (IEA) examines how shifting market trends, evolving geopolitical uncertainties, emerging technologies, advancing clean energy transitions and growing climate change impacts are all changing what it means to have secure energy systems. In particular, the new report underscores that today’s geopolitical tensions and fragmentation are creating major risks both for energy security and for global action on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The report’s projections based on today’s policy settings indicate that the world is set to enter a new energy market context in the coming years, marked by continued geopolitical hazards but also by relatively abundant supply of multiple fuels and technologies. This includes an overhang of oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply coming into view during the second half of the 2020s, alongside a large surfeit of manufacturing capacity for some key clean energy technologies, notably solar PV and batteries.

Downward pressure on prices

“In the second half of this decade, the prospect of more ample – or even surplus – supplies of oil and natural gas, depending on how geopolitical tensions evolve, would move us into a very different energy world from the one we have experienced in recent years during the global energy crisis,” said IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol. “It implies downward pressure on prices, providing some relief for consumers that have been hit hard by price spikes. The breathing space from fuel price pressures can provide policymakers with room to focus on stepping up investments in clean energy transitions and removing inefficient fossil fuel subsidies. This means government policies and consumer choices will have huge consequences for the future of the energy sector and for tackling climate change.”

Based on today’s policy settings, the report finds that low-emissions sources are set to generate more than half of the world’s electricity before 2030 – and demand for all three fossil fuels – coal, oil and gas – is still projected to peak by the end of the decade. Clean energy is entering the energy system at an unprecedented rate, but deployment is far from uniform across technologies and markets.

Age of Electricity

In this context, the WEO-2024 also shows that the contours of a new, more electrified energy system are coming into focus as global electricity demand soars. Electricity use has grown at twice the pace of overall energy demand over the last decade, with two-thirds of the global increase in electricity demand over the last ten years coming from China.

“In previous World Energy Outlooks, the IEA made it clear that the future of the global energy system is electric – and now it is visible to everyone,” said Birol. “In energy history, we’ve witnessed the Age of Coal and the Age of Oil – and we’re now moving at speed into the Age of Electricity, which will define the global energy system going forward and increasingly be based on clean sources of electricity.”

“As with many other global energy trends today, China is a major part of what is happening,” Birol added. “Whether it’s investment, fossil fuel demand, electricity consumption, deployment of renewables, the market for EVs, or clean technology manufacturing, we are now in a world where almost every energy story is essentially a China story. Just one example: China’s solar expansion is now proceeding at such a rate that, by the early 2030s – less than ten years from now – China’s solar power generation alone could exceed the total electricity demand of the United States today.”

Infrastructure not keeping pace with clean energy transition

Global electricity demand growth is set to accelerate further in the years ahead, adding the equivalent of Japanese demand to global electricity use each year in a scenario based on today’s policy settings – and rising even more quickly in scenarios that meet national and global goals for achieving net zero emissions.

Also see: Double investments in power distribution or lose race to net-zero

For clean energy to continue growing at pace, much greater investment in new energy systems, especially in electricity grids and energy storage, are necessary. Today, for every dollar spent on renewable power, 60 cents are spent on grids and storage, highlighting how essential supporting infrastructure is not keeping pace with clean energy transitions. Secure decarbonisation of the electricity sector requires investment in grids and storage to increase even more quickly than clean generation, and the investment ratio to rebalance to 1:1. Many power systems are currently vulnerable to an increase in extreme weather events, putting a premium on efforts to bolster their resilience and digital security.

Also see: Battery costs fallen by more than 90%

Despite growing momentum behind clean energy transitions, the world is still a long way from a trajectory aligned with its net zero goals. Decisions by governments, investors and consumers too often entrench the flaws in today’s energy system, rather than pushing it towards a cleaner and safer path, the report finds. Reflecting the uncertainties in the current energy world, the WEO-2024 includes sensitivity analysis for the speed at which renewables and electric mobility might grow, how fast demand for LNG might rise, and how heatwaves, efficiency policies and the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) might affect electricity demand going forward.

Lack of access to energy remains the most fundamental inequity

Based on today’s policy settings, global carbon dioxide emissions are set to peak imminently, but the absence of a sharp decline after that means the world is on course for a rise of 2.4 °C in global average temperatures by the end of the century, well above the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 °C. The report underlines the inextricable links between risks of energy security and climate change. In many areas of the world, extreme weather events, intensified by decades of high emissions, are already posing profound challenges for the secure and reliable operation of energy systems, including increasingly severe heatwaves, droughts, floods and storms.

Also see: IEA: Three times more renewables by 2030

A new energy system needs to be built to last, the WEO-2024 emphasises, one that prioritises security, resilience and flexibility, and ensures that benefits of the new energy economy are shared and inclusive. In some regions of the world, high financing costs and project risks are limiting the spread of cost-competitive clean energy technologies to where they are needed most. This is especially the case in developing economies where these technologies can deliver the biggest returns for sustainable development and emissions reductions. Lack of access to energy remains the most fundamental inequity in today’s energy system, with 750 million people – predominantly in sub-Saharan Africa – without access to electricity and over 2 billion without clean cooking fuels. (hcn)

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Solar Energy

Amsterdam hotel beats grid connection shortage

October 8, 2024 ryansheehanrts

Business owners across Europe are increasingly turning to electricity to meet carbon reduction targets, yet they often face an unexpected setback when it comes to enlarging the capacity of their building’s connection with the grid.

The demands of electrification, combined with ageing power networks, mean that many distribution system operators are unable to provide their customers with larger grid connections, particularly for commercial, industrial, and residential apartment buildings. In some parts of Europe, notably Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Denmark, the United Kingdom and Ireland, grid accessibility constraints are already proving a significant barrier to electrification, with only Finland having a truly open and accessible electricity grid*.

Implementing Building as a Grid approach

A new project in the Netherlands, however, shows how one entrepreneur has turned the lack of an adequate grid connection to his advantage. The owner of The Florian Hotel in Amsterdam, has teamed up with the international power management company, Eaton, to ensure his business has a reliable supply of low-cost, low-carbon, electricity. By implementing Eaton’s Buildings as a Grid approach to the energy transition, he has overcome the setback of an inadequate grid connection to transform a former office building near Schiphol Airport into a vibrant hotel that makes the most of renewable energy.

Also interesting: Demand Side Flexibility increases grid stability and lowers electricity prices

Using a 30 kWp rooftop solar photo-voltaic array and an Eaton xStorage battery energy storage system (40 kW power and 50 kWh capacity), Eaton designed an energy strategy for The Florian that mixes its solar power with electricity available within its grid connection. A system of ‘peak shaving’ ensures that electricity from the batteries is used when demand for power in the hotel is at its highest, keeping overall energy consumption at these times well within the limits pre-agreed with the distribution system operator and saving money, too.

The Building as a Grid approach is scalable, so an expandable network of EV chargers has been installed in the hotel’s parking garage and integrated into the energy management system via Eaton’s proprietary Buildings Energy Management Software (BEMS). Powerful algorithms within the software direct available power to where it is most needed for EV charging and other electrical requirements in the hotel while at the same time keeping the xStorage battery charged to substitute power from the grid when necessary.

Reduce energy costs and save the climate

The BEMS software analyses the hotel’s current and past energy use trends and even monitors weather forecasts to ensure that the low-cost, low-carbon energy from the solar panels is used to maximum effect to reduce both energy bills and the hotel’s carbon footprint.

The hotel owner, who prefers to be known simply by his first name – Tony – is delighted with the outcome: “Our Buildings as a Grid approach at The Florian is achieving outstanding results. In 2022, despite soaring energy prices, we kept control of our energy costs, and reduced carbon emissions by more than 15 tons compared with the average for a building of similar size. Crucially, we stayed within the limits of our grid connection because had we not been able to do that, we may have had to close.”

Fabrice Roudet, general manager of Eaton’s energy transition division in Europe, said: “The carbon saving will help The Florian to reach its corporate sustainability goal of reducing its carbon footprint towards net zero, and we can help similar businesses to do the same.” (hcn)

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Solar Energy

Large-scale energy storage – Sungrow PowerTitan 2.0 set to unleash the „AC block era“

September 30, 2024 ryansheehanrts

Similarly, in Asia, multiple PowerTitan 2.0 projects have been successfully commissioned, showcasing impressive performance in cost reduction, safety, grid forming, etc. PowerTitan 2.0 is being rapidly gaining global traction, pioneering the energy storage industry’s transition into the AC Block era.

What is the AC Block?

PowerTitan 2.0 introduces the AC Block, which integrates a 5 MWh battery with a 2.5 MW PCS into a standard 20-foot container, a significant departure from the traditional method of separating direct current battery systems and alternating current PCS systems. This integration goes beyond just rearranging components; it involves efficiently combining the battery, PCS, fire suppression systems, and other modules while pushing the boundaries of spatial design. According to a report by S&P Global Commodity Insight, only three companies worldwide, including Sungrow, currently provide authentic AC Block solutions.

Also see: Sungrow PowerTitan2.0 presented for Europe

James Li, Sungrow ESS Director for Europe, stated that the success of PowerTitan 2.0 is significantly attributed to Sungrow’s fully self-developed PACK/BMS/PCS/EMS technologies, driving innovation through a foundational logic and holistic design approach. Moreover, PowerTitan 2.0 revolutionizes PAC structures and production processes, reducing the width of each PACK by 40mm for a more compact layout. Additionally, each cabinet houses 12 small standardized PCS units, matching the size specifications of PACKs for efficient space utilization. These benefits and innovations make the AC Block concept feasible.

With a more compact structure, increased heat dissipation challenges arise. PowerTitan 2.0 addresses this with a fully liquid-cooled solution for battery PACKs and PCS units, ensuring rapid heat dissipation and extending system longevity.

Higher efficiency and fault losses

“In the operational projects, PowerTitan 2.0 demonstrates its competitiveness,” said James Li. It saves 29% on land usage, requiring only 2000 square meters for a hundred-megawatt-hour system, significantly reducing land costs. The all-in-one AC-DC block design streamlines deployment with embedded PCSs, pre-assembled components, MVT, and comprehensive factory testing to reduce installation time onsite.

Also interesting: Large storage tenders in vogue

Thanks to its AC-DC block design, PowerTitan 2.0 increases the system’s round-trip efficiency (RTE) by 2%, boosts the total discharge volume over the entire lifecycle by 8%, and reduces fault losses by 92%, according to Sungrow. Moreover, standardized short cable connections between batteries and PCS in a fully liquid-cooled cabinet, along with advanced AI-based battery health management and

ArcDefender Technology, effectively minimize thermal runaway and arcing risks, ensuring overall cabinet safety.

The system also incorporates the latest Stem Cell Grid Tech, enabling seamless 0ms grid switching, and active harmonic absorption. It has been widely deployed in global projects such as the SPP Hybrid project in Thailand, the Dalia project in the Middle East, and China’s offshore grid-forming energy storage project in Guangxi. The solution plays a vital role in supporting the smooth operation of new power systems.

Also see: Sungrow: 1.4 GWh storage supply for Penso Power and BW ESS

Notably, PowerTitan 2.0 operates with low noise levels below 75 dBA, utilizing carefully selected biodegradable or renewable transformer oil, refrigerants, and fire extinguishing agents, aligning with environmental sustainability. (hcn)

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Solar Energy

Energy storage – Denmark: Solar park with storage for grid stabilization

September 27, 2024 ryansheehanrts

A key component of the green transition will be balancing consumption and production of green electricity. This requires renewable energy companies, like Better Energy, to develop integrated strategies that allow for flexibility in the power grid. The BESS project at Hoby solar park will allow Better Energy to offer ancillary services and frequency control to help the Danish TSO, Energinet, regulate the power grid.

Better Energy has previously collaborated with Energinet to certify its Væggerløse solar park to provide frequency services, an example of the strong collaboration between renewable energy companies and grid operators needed to achieve a stable and reliable power grid.

“As renewable energy production becomes more dominant in the energy system, it is important that new technologies and renewable energy companies also contribute to the balancing market and support the stability of the systems,” says Thomas Dalgas Fechtenburg, Senior Manager, Ancillary Services at Energinet. “Therefore, it is great to see that Better Energy is enabling more flexible operation by installing a relatively large battery in their park.”

An energy system based on renewable energy

Better Energy’s first BESS project is in anticipation of an energy system based on renewable energy and underlines the importance of flexibility. Through early-stage energy storage and discharge planning, Better Energy can contribute to stabilising the power grid and electricity prices. The BESS project presents the opportunity to store excess energy at peak times for renewable energy and work toward ensuring green electricity is regularly available.

Also interesting: Large storage tenders in vogue

“As we increase the amount of green energy we can produce, we need to take responsibility and actively work with the grid companies to develop strategies that allow for a flexible power grid driven by renewable energy,” says Viggo Aavang, Senior Vice President of Power Markets at Better Energy. “The BESS project connected to our Hoby solar park creates another opportunity for us to promote flexibility which is crucial in order to build a system based on renewables.”

One of the largest BESS projects in Denmark

Better Energy’s BESS project is expected to provide 12 MWh of energy storage, one of the largest planned projects in connection with a solar park in Denmark to date. The Hoby solar park was grid-connected in August 2023 and has a production capacity of 70 GWh. The BESS is expected to be installed and operational by the end of 2024.(hcn)

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Solar Energy

Tomasz Bodetko of PST Group: “We need more energy storage facilities for balancing the grid”

September 24, 2024 ryansheehanrts

What is the role of PST in the Polish solar business?

Tomasz Bodetko: Projekt Solartechnik Group is among the leading renewable energy developers in Poland. We have secured grid connection conditions for over 1 GW of pv projects and nearly 400 MW of battery energy storage projects. Currently, more than 250 MW of our solar farms are operational, generating green energy. We are also in the early stages of developing wind energy projects.

DRI moves forward with 133 MW battery storage project in Trzebinia

What is your job?

The company I represent, PST Trade, is an energy trading entity that not only maximizes returns from our assets but also offers green energy solutions for businesses and purchases green energy from other producers. Our operations are further enhanced by the sale of renewable energy projects and turnkey pv farms.

Subscribe now to our monthly special newsletter for investors!

What services or products does PST offer?

Our mission is to provide innovative solutions in the renewable energy sector, particularly for industries that rely on green energy, through products like Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) and Corporate Power Purchase Agreements (CPPA). For instance, we are one of the few companies capable of offering clients a fully operational pv farm. With CPPA we can supply energy tailored to their business needs. This enables our clients to become energy producers, aligning with ESG trends.

Central and Eastern Europe increasingly in the solar gigawatt class

Does it mean, one project for one costumer only?

We also offer portions of our renewable energy projects at various stages to other investors, such as Independent Power Producers (IPPs), large corporations, or investment funds. This allows for faster acquisition and development of assets by entities that may otherwise face delays or are not currently active in the Polish market.

Polish Development Bank signs financing agreement with R.Power

Is your focus primarily on the national, European, or international market?

At present, our primary focus is on the Polish market. However, we are also active in Germany, where we are developing solar farm projects.

More news and insigts about the Polish market

Which developments in the Polish market do you expect for the next 12 months?

In Poland, the key development needed is the expansion of energy storage facilities to balance power supply within the grid. This is the most critical factor that will facilitate further growth of PV farms. Without the implementation of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), we anticipate an increase in solar farm curtailments and a subsequent drop in prices, which could make these projects economically less viable.

Interview conducted by Manfred Gorgus.

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Solar Energy

Trinasolar reports profitability – 26% more PV modules shipped

September 5, 2024 ryansheehanrts

Trinasolar has published its financial report for the first half of 2024, confirming revenues of $6.047 billion and attributable net profit of $74.058 million, and demonstrating two consecutive quarters of profitability. Over the first six months of the year, the company delivered 34GW in PV modules, 1.7GWh of DC container and energy storage systems, and 3.2GW of solar mounting systems.

Achieving robust growth in PV, solar tracker and ESS business

In the first half of the year, Trinasolar shipped 34GW of modules, 25.9% more than in the corresponding period last year. Its cumulative shipments of 210 modules exceeded 140GW, helping maintain the company’s top position worldwide. Trinasolar leads the industry in the 700W+ era with its Vertex N 720W series module, based on the 210mm product technology platform and n-type i-TOPCon advanced technology.

Also interesting: Solar and storage boom with challenges

Trina Storage, a business unit of Trinasolar, takes a comprehensive approach to energy storage, providing solutions from cell to pack to container. In the first half of the year, the company launched its Elementa 2 Elevate solution in North America. Trina Storage has now been recognized as a Tier 1 energy storage supplier by Bloomberg New Energy Finance for three quarters in a row this year. By the end of June, about 7GWh of DC container and energy systems had been delivered globally.

TrinaTracker serves major PV markets worldwide, with cumulative shipments exceeding 23GW by the end of June. It ranked sixth in global shipments last year and third in key countries and regions, being one of the fastest-growing companies in its space, according to S&P Global. A report by Wood Mackenzie ranked TrinaTracker among the top three PV companies in South America, the Middle East and other regions.

Giving R&D a central role

Trinasolar has invested $381.409 million in R&D and had cumulatively filed 5,649 patent applications by the end of June. Trinasolar puts a high premium on its patents, with more than 500 patents on TOPCon technology filed by July.

The company is extending global collaboration with innovative partners to maintain core competence. In June it signed a long-term collaboration agreement with the Institute of Solar Energy at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, and in August it announced research collaboration with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore’s leading public sector R&D agency.

Ensuring stable supply worldwide

The company deploys global production capacity to meet burgeoning demands and global delivery needs. Trinasolar prospectively laid out a 1GW cell and module base in Indonesia and a 5GW module base in the USA in 2023, with both expected to begin operations in H2 2024. (hcn)

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