California-based Stem has teamed up with US private equity company Syncarpha Capital to build 28MWh of artificial intelligence-driven energy storage plus 26MW solar capacity in Massachusetts, US.
The energy storage system will use a SunGrow inverter with Samsung (the two companies have a joint venture) lithium nickel-maganese-cobalt -batteries.
Stem’s AI-driven Athena storage solution will be used at five distribution grid-connected sites across Massachusetts, which will be developed and owned by Syncarpha.
The systems will allow Syncarpha to participate in the New England Independent System Operator (ISO-NE)-managed wholesale markets.
Stem’s sytem allows Syncarpha to do this by forecasting optimal bid strategies to utilise the solar investment tax credit; the batteries can therefore only charge from solar production. Stem creates a forecast of solar production and expected power and energy available for use so it can create an optimised schedule for dispatch of the ESS, based on the various ISO-NE markets in which the systems are enrolled.
Stem’s trading partner receives this information befor submitting bids and/or commitments to ISO-NE.
When a bid clears, Stem receives a dispatch signal from ISO-NE and automatically dispatches each battery accordingly using its industrial IoT controls platform. Stem’s industrial IoT platform also collects all necessary, revenue-grade data on the operation of the assets so that we can perform monthly settlements with ISO-NE.
A Stem spokesman told BBB : “Unfortunately we can’t answer when the first systems will begin operations because it will depend on Syncarpha’s timeline, constructions, financing approvals, etc.”
The project is the first time AI firm Stem has operated on the front of meter (FTM-wholesale distributed generation) market. the company manages around 1,000 energy storage systems using its AI technology with an additional 300 Athena platforms installed across six US states, Ontario, and Japan.
