- Prevalon has launched its energy management system (EMS) software, named insightOS, to support the growing demand for energy storage solutions in the US market.
- The US battery storage solutions provider aims to create a robust and scalable EMS that can manage the demands of various applications, including data centres.
- InsightOS will be integrated with Prevalon’s HD5 modular AC battery system, which includes its HD5 Data Centre, a data centre-specific system, and HD5 Microgrid, a community-specific system.
Creating an Energy Management System for the Current US Market
Prevalon claims that insightOS represents a ‘major leap forward in energy management technology’ and calls the software the ‘future of energy storage management.’
“I think the things that really make our system stand out, and when I talk to our controls engineers, the number one thing they say, is that it works. It’s a very robust system, and it works.” — Dr. Emily Cornell
According to Dr. Emily Cornell, Cornell University’s Center for Solar Energy Research, there’s a lot of buzz words in the industry, but features and benefits that really make insightOS stand out are its robustness and scalability.
“Whether or not you’re doing a 10MW project, 100MW or even 1000MW project, we put features in this to make it a very scalable and user-friendly system. The other feature that we’ve made paramount is giving it flexibility because a lot of the projects we do are used for a whole host of different applications.”
Scalability and Flexibility in Energy Management
- Having a scalable and flexible EMS is crucial right now. The use of a BESS can vary greatly, and as markets shift, owners need the ability to shift strategy quickly.
- The growth of data centres as an important consideration in the development of an EMS software.
The use of a BESS can vary greatly, and as markets shift, owners need the ability to shift strategy quickly. Data centres are being built rapidly, sometimes in areas already lacking existing renewable energy infrastructure, putting further strain on the grid and a greater demand on energy resources.
| Data Centre Growth | Terawatt-hours expected to increase by 400 at a CAGR of 23% between 2024-2030 |
In a guest blog for Energy-Storage.news, Tod Higinbotham, COO of ZincFive, writes that energy demand from data centres is expected to increase by about 400 Terawatt-hours at a CAGR of 23% between 2024-2030.
Grid Requirements and Global Grids
Prevalon also has projects in other countries to consider, namely, Chile, which has different needs and requirements as compared to US projects.
“A grid like we’re interfacing with in Chile is much different than what we’re doing here in the States. You know, it’s not as large of a system. It’s not as robust. So, there are more fluctuations on the grid than we would expect.” — Dr. Emily Cornell
The company has two completed projects in Chile, which Cornell says have been successful in using insightOS. He did not specify which projects but highlighted that Prevalon is currently building two more in the country.
| Prevalon’s Projects in Chile |
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Understanding the Complexity of BESS Projects
“People think batteries are pretty simple. It’s just a battery system, it gets charged, it gets discharged. How complicated could that really be?”
“Five years ago, we were building much smaller projects, such as the 10MW-30MW projects. Now you’re looking at 100, 200MW type projects with millions of battery cells in these plants. We’re monitoring each and every cell, voltage and temperature. So, we’ve got a lot of data points and information that we’re trying to monitor and control.”
Dr.
news is a contributor at BulBat. We are committed to providing well-researched, accurate, and valuable content to our readers.
