Dive Brief:
- Schneider Electric has announced a battery energy storage system that it says will act as the cornerstone for its fully integrated microgrid solution.
- The BESS, offered as part of Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure Microgrid Flex system, incorporates pre-integrated components like batteries, inverters, a battery management system, a power conversion system and a controller, the company said in an April 25 news release. The BESS accumulates energy from different sources and stores it in rechargeable batteries for later use, with an ability to discharge that stored energy to supply power to industrial and commercial facilities as well as electric vehicles or the grid, per the release.
- The BESS can boost operational efficiency, facilitate demand change management and reduce overall energy costs, as it allows for storing energy during off-peak hours when electricity rates are lower and using it during peak demand periods, Jana Gerber, Schneider Electric's president of North America Microgrids, told Facilities Dive. The system can also reduce business disruption by providing backup power during outages, she added.
Dive Insight:
Building-level renewable energy and microgrid technologies are gaining steam amid a growing demand for uninterrupted and clean power supplies. Given a shift toward electrification, microgrid systems hold the potential for boosting energy efficiency and mitigating the effects of climate risk, which can help building owners and operators meet growing electricity demands, according to a December 2023 report from JLL.
Additionally, more organizations are looking to reduce their reliance on the grid, especially in the event of power outages and storms. Microgrids can provide efficient energy backup for reasonably long periods of time, with solar arrays capable of cutting buildings’ carbon footprints and boosting resiliency, according to Rohan Kelkar, executive vice president of global power products at Schneider Electric.
The BESS, embedded with a scalable configuration and advanced safety controls, provides bidirectional connectivity, giving operators the flexibility to operate either on or off the grid, Schneider Electric said. The company noted that the BESS can store energy for immediate access during outages and other power events, delivering between 60 kW and 2 MW of power in two-hour and four-hour configurations.
The system’s features facilitate streamlined site engineering, construction and installation processes while minimizing labor and material expenses, the company said.
“Historically, the industry has experienced significant difficulty in integrating battery products into microgrid systems,” Gerber said, noting that the BESS is incorporating a process to “test, validate and document the architecture of Schneider Electric’s system.” This has involved investing in a testing lab to vet the use cases that will be deployed in the field and linking the microgrid controls with battery use cases and physical hardware to ensure more structured commissioning of systems to reduce costs, enhance quality and “improve performance in a way the industry has not yet experienced,” she explained.
Graybar, which is strengthening its focus on renewable energy, is the inaugural channel partner for the new BESS, Schneider Electric said. Graybar, a distributor of electrical, communications and data networking products, also specializes in related supply chain management and logistics services, with a network of over 300 distribution facilities across North America.
The BESS is compliant with UL9540 certification and has a fire safety system designed to align with the latest standards outlined in NFPA 855, the National Fire Protection Association’s standard for the installation of stationary energy storage systems, Schneider Electric said.
The ready-to-deploy system consists of a documented architecture and enables an installation process that exceeds the efficiency of traditional custom-engineered designs, Schneider Electric said. The company noted that the solution’s integration with its energy management systems significantly reduces integration time and minimizes field errors.
Effectively maintaining such a system involves “utilizing built-in solutions programs and features to help mitigate maintenance and support systems, as well as optimize operations through the solution’s monitoring system performance and battery health management,” Gerber said. “Additionally, the solution’s data analytics and performance management tools can be used for proactive maintenance,” she noted.
Two connection-ready BESS options are available — a small, hybrid seven-feet NEMA 3R Enclosure that can connect to both alternating current and direct current power sources, and a medium 20-feet NEMA 3R Enclosure that can connect to AC power sources, the company said.
