Energy Storage Systems

SUNSYS HES L UL

Scalable outdoor Energy Storage System - from 50 kVA / 203 kWh to 550 kVA / 1218 kWh
SUNSYS HES XXL UL

High power Energy Storage System - 1 MVA / 2 MWh to 6 MVA / 23 MWh

Socomec, the century-old company, is a global player in the Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) market. We have been pioneers in exploring the dynamic world of BESS, acting on these topics since 2014. As a bridge between renewable energy sources and the electric grid, BESS is crucial in stabilizing the power supply and driving the energy transition. Although its concept is simple: storing energy for later use or de-synchronizing electricity production and consumption, its applications are almost infinite. They can serve an extensive array of user cases. As clean energy production and Electric Vehicle charging infrastructures grow, so does the market for BESS, supplying a simple answer to multiple technical challenges. Discover with Socomec the intricacies of its design, components, and operation, and understand why it's an essential part of your energy transition.

What is a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS)?

Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are cutting-edge technologies designed to store electrical energy for later use. They consist of advanced power conversion technologies, intelligent management systems, and lithium batteries that capture and hold energy during periods of low demand or excess production. These can then be deployed when demand is high and exceeds supply. BESS plays a crucial role in enhancing energy reliability, flexibility, efficiency, and sustainability across various sectors.

Why Are BESS Important? Understanding the needs and the advantages of an ESS system

Battery Energy Storage Systems are essential for modern energy-critical infrastructure due to their numerous benefits. At Socomec, storage systems can enhance our customers' financial and operational efficiency. Here are three main benefits for businesses that wish to install a BESS:

Benefits of BESS :

Saving on Electricity Bills: A Battery Energy Storage System can significantly reduce electricity costs by storing energy during off-peak hours when rates are lower and discharging it during peak demand times. This strategic use of energy helps to lower demand charges, optimizing your energy expenses and improving overall cost efficiency.
Generating New Revenue Streams: An Energy Storage System can open up new revenue opportunities for commercial and industrial buildings. BESS can participate in demand response programs, frequency, and voltage regulation programs and sell excess stored energy back to the grid. By engaging in these activities, businesses can capitalize on fluctuating energy prices and create additional income sources, boosting their financial performance.
Ensuring Electricity Supply Continuity with Backup Power: A Battery Energy Storage System ensures electricity supply continuity by providing reliable backup power during outages. This is crucial for maintaining business productivity, preventing costly downtime, safeguarding critical operations, and ensuring continuous power availability.

Applications of Battery Energy Storage Systems

At Socomec, we offer versatile and tailored solutions to meet the diverse energy needs of our customers. Our Energy Storage Systems provide key applications that enhance efficiency, reliability, and sustainability:

1. Peak Shaving

Peak shaving is crucial for customers who experience high energy demand during peak hours. Socomec’s BESS solutions store energy during off-peak times and discharge it during peak periods, effectively reducing the power drawn from the grid during those periods. This approach flattens the demand curve, lowers energy costs, and optimizes overall energy management.

2. Self-Consumption Optimization

For facilities equipped with renewable energy sources like solar panels, Socomec’s BESS maximizes self-consumption. Our systems store excess energy when production is high and make it available during low-generation or high-demand periods. This enhances energy efficiency, generates massive savings on electricity bills, and reduces dependence on the grid, leading to greater energy autonomy.

3. Frequency control and regulation

Battery Energy Storage Systems are exceptionally well-suited for frequency regulation due to their rapid response time. When there is an excess of energy on the grid, the BESS absorbs the surplus, and when there is a shortfall, it releases stored energy to stabilize the frequency.

Frequency regulation services can create a significant revenue stream for BESS owners.

With the rise of intermittent renewable energies pouring out variable amounts of energy on utility grids, Transmission Systems Operators are seeking to secure huge amounts of available power and energy to balance the frequency of the grid. They usually run auctions to secure this energy in advance and are willing to pay high fees to ensure this flexibility.

4. Grid investment deferral

By providing a buffer between the grid and heavy electrical loads, BESS helps reduce immediate demand on the grid during peak times. This helps avoid major grid investments to increase power availability on specific grid connection points. This application is beneficial for EV charging point operators to deploy EV chargers quickly and cost-effectively, avoiding the need for extensive and expensive grid upgrades.

As electric vehicles become more prevalent, the need for efficient charging stations, particularly DC fast chargers, is increasing. These chargers, however, require significant power, often more than what local grids can supply, especially in areas with older critical infrastructure or limited capacity.

5. Backup Power Supply for critical infrastructure

A key advantage of BESS is its ability to provide backup power. The stored energy acts as a reserve that can be tapped into during grid failures. When a blackout occurs, the BESS takes over to supply energy.

In off-grid scenarios, BESS is essential for maintaining a stable and reliable power supply. Off-grid sites can create a hybrid power system by integrating BESS with renewable energy sources and generators.

6. Energy trading with a BESS

Be an active player in the electricity market. Buy energy when prices are low, store it, and sell it when prices rise to generate profit.

The applications for BESS above are not exhaustive but represent most of how our customers typically use our systems. To go further, we invite you to explore additional possibilities and custom solutions that our systems can offer by contacting our services.

How does Socomec BESS work?

Our battery energy storage system captures energy from various sources, such as utility grids, renewable installations, or generators. This stored energy can then be released when demand exceeds supply. The system includes several key components:

Power conversion system (C-Cab): Converts AC to DC during charging and DC to AC during discharging. Our converter cabinets' powers range from 50kVA to 1,5MVA and can be installed in parallel to reach 20MVA projects. Our converter cabinet also contains communication modules, IoT devices, and state-of-the-art Socomec electrical components and protections.
Battery cabinet (B-Cab): The units where energy is stored consist of a cabinet with 4 or 8 LFP battery modules with a capacity of around 50 kWh each, totaling around 200 kWh or 400 kWh per B-Cab. Battery cabinets can be installed in parallel to reach multi-MWh projects.
Battery management system (BMS): Monitors and manages the state of charge, voltage, and temperature of the battery cells.
Power Management System (PMS): Ensures the overall system operates efficiently and safely and allows a set of power rules to control the system.

Socomec's BESS solutions

At Socomec, we offer a comprehensive range of Battery Energy Storage Systems designed to meet diverse energy needs. Socomec systems are composed of advanced power conversion technologies and LFP batteries driven by intelligent Battery and Power Management Systems and software. Our BESS enhances energy reliability, flexibility, efficiency, and sustainability across various sectors through intelligent power conversion and management systems. Integrating cutting-edge algorithms and real-time data analysis enables Socomec’s BESS to optimize energy usage, reduce costs, and support a resilient energy infrastructure. Our solutions are engineered for performance, reliability, and scalability, ensuring you have the right system for your specific requirements. Explore our product range :

SUNSYS HES L: Scalable outdoor Energy Storage System - from 50 kVA / 203 kWh to 550 kVA / 1222 kWh - This system has been designed using the best conversion and battery technologies, primarily to achieve a high level of efficiency, security, and reliability.

SUNSYS HES XXL: High power and High Capacity Energy Storage System - from 1 MVA / 2 MWh to 6 MVA / 23 MWh - Perfectly adapted to large-scale commercial and industrial installations and standalone or colocated with renewable energy projects.