Quanta Technology provides services for the development and implementation of BESS installations, including commissioning and testing services. Our experts are actively participating in and leading the development of industry standards and recommended practices for energy storage systems with IEEE, Cigre, IEC, and local jurisdictions (NERC/FERC/NFPA, etc.). These activities, combined with our hands-on experience with some of the largest BESS projects to date, enable our utility clients to save time and budget and avoid risks to achieve successful projects.
Energy Storage – Design, Engineering, and Tests
In recent years, there has been a growing focus on battery energy storage system (BESS) deployment by utilities and developers across the world and, more specifically, in North America. The BESS projects have certainly moved beyond pilot demonstration and are currently an integral part of T&D capacity and reliability planning program (also referred to as non-wires alternatives [NWAs]). Other key applications are for energy and ancillary service markets, which require a high degree of performance guarantee and availability. All of this emphasizes the need for detailed design, proper engineering, and careful implementation based on best industry practices to achieve successful and high-performing projects.
Energy Storage
The most dominant technology being deployed in recent years across the electric grid are battery energy storage systems (BESSs), which interconnect to both distribution and transmission systems. A BESS is complex in nature because it utilizes numerous battery cells connected in series and parallels to build a medium-voltage DC system (emerging at or above 1000 V) at high energy capacity behind a bi-directional inverter to enable power exchange with a 60 Hz electric grid. Such a complex DC+AC system requires a myriad of control functions and protection schemes to supervise the power conversion mechanism and to ensure safety and integrity in grid interconnection and operation. Special attention should be given to design, engineering, and implementation of BESS projects by applying state-of-the-art engineering knowledge and well-utilized industry best practices.
Quanta Technology experts have been supporting development of several large-scale BESS projects owned and operated by electric utilities or developers in various areas including the following:
Design and Engineering
- Facility layout and topology design
- Interconnection requirements and studies
- Protection and control scheme development
- Transient and dynamic analysis of interactions with the grid
- Engineering design package review and assessment
Product Selection and Specifications
- Vendor product assessment and qualifications
- Providing specifications and guidelines for product selection
- Developing control and communication system specifications
- Baseline application analysis and performance estimates
- Offering mobile BESSs
BESS Commissioning and Testing
- Development of test plans and performance evaluation procedures
- Third-party testing support during factory acceptance testing (a.k.a., factory witness testing)
- System inspection and commissioning test support
- Providing third-party functional and application testing for site acceptance and performance verifications
- Portable test devices (BESSTI) for FAT/SAT of BESS according to latest standards and procedures
Operation, Maintenance and Condition Monitoring
- Providing BESS operation and maintenance guidelines
- Training and knowledge share on operation of BESS
- Offering condition monitoring and performance reporting to provide BESS operation awareness and observability into utilization
Why Quanta Technology?
Quanta Technology has engaged and acted as part of the design, engineering, and implementation teams for several state-of-the-art large BESS projects connecting to T&D systems.
Our hands-on experience and direct involvement in all steps of selecting, designing, and integrating the technology into a utility environment has been extremely valuable. We have helped customers schedule, budget, and achieve success in their projects, saving them time and resources.
The experts at Quanta Technology are actively participating and leading the development of industry standards and recommended practices for energy storage systems with IEEE, Cigre, IEC, and local jurisdictions (NERC/FERC/NFPA, etc.). These activities give us the knowledge of industry best practices and lessons learned from a multitude of projects offering best advice and practical solutions to our customers.
FAQ: Top 10
Below is a list of key questions Quanta Technology experts are being asked when starting discussions on a new utility project or on-going energy storage endeavor. For any similar BESS challenges or project concerns, our experts are ready to connect and help.
- What is the best battery technology for a given application, and who are the top solution providers?
- What are the major BESS use cases, and how do we achieve application stacking?
- How do we determine and track BESS performance? What are the KPIs?
- What are the key considerations in deploying BESS within or connecting directly to a T&D substation?
- What are the best design practices to ensure safety in installation and operation to avoid fire/explosion?
- How do we properly size reactive power and MVA of a BESS inverter to meet the system requirements at the point of connection (in terms of power factor, voltage, loss)?
- How do we standardize communications and controls (C&C) for BESS, and what is the best architecture?
- How do we model BESS and perform short circuit studies?
- What type of studies should be performed to ensure safe and sound design for BESS?
- How do we properly test and verify BESS functions during commissioning?