A revised set of guidelines outlining how to gauge the way large batteries and grid-scale Energy Storage Systems (ESS) are evaluated has been released.
The latest protocol is set to ‘level the playing field’ in the way companies determine how different ESSs handle similar situations.
The protocol was developed by a working group of more than 100 stakeholders working under the leadership of the U.S. Department of Energy and two of its laboratories: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Sandia Laboratories.
The International Electrotechnical Commission and trhe National Electrical Manufacturers Association will now use the protocol to draft the first international and U.S. standards for measuring and reporting ESS performance.
Once adopted, the standards will still be voluntary, though it is hoped more companies will use them when they have gone through the official standard development process.
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory engineer David Conover, who oversaw the protocol effort for DOE, said: “Without this protocol, comparing the ability of two different systems to handle the same situation was like comparing apples to oranges.
“Now energy storage systems can be evaluated on a reliable, level playing field.”
Several companies are already using the protocol, including Eos Energy Storage. The developer and manufacturer of grid-scale battery solutions is using the protocol for in-house testing and demonstrating projects with customers.
Philippe Bouchard, Eos vice president of business development, said: “There is a lot of confusion around how to determine best fit technologies for target applications.
“Having a standard testing protocol allows us to characterise performance in a manner that is uniformly accepted by the industry and our customers. This will help to determine the suitability of our product for specific applications and will accelerate market acceptance of new technologies on the grid.”
“The protocol is especially important today as more and a greater variety of energy storage systems are being developed to enable the broader use of renewable energy.”
The protocol was initially released in October 2012, then revised in June 2014 when peak shaving, frequency regulation and islanded microgrids were added.
Later this year photovoltaic smoothing, renewable firming/load following and volt/VAR control application are due to be added.
More metrics for existing applications will also be added at the request of utilities who are considering using energy storage systems. The protocol will continue to be revised as needed.