Behind-the-Meter ESS Control for TOU Peak Demand Shifting
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing energy rates due to grid imbalance, particularly the 'Duck Curve' phenomenon, lead to high electricity bills for businesses, and conventional solar businesses face revenue loss under the transition from Net-Energy-Metering 2.0 to NEMS3.0, which incentivizes clean energy production during evening peak hours, necessitating an efficient management of solar PV and energy storage systems.
Innovation Solution
An enhanced Time-of-Use (TOU) Clean Energy Resources system utilizing advanced telemetry energy management, smart integration of solar PV systems, energy storage, and DC Level 3 Fast Chargers, optimizing solar PV and battery capacity based on real-time load data, with a solar calculator providing monthly/daily production data, and a DC/DC Converter Management System for seamless power flow and concurrent control of solar generation, battery storage, and EV chargers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If solar PV systems operate under NEMS2.0 program, then solar businesses generate revenue during daytime hours, but they face revenue loss of approximately 65% under NEMS3.0 transition which suppresses solar production during sunlit hours
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by charging energy storage systems during daytime when solar production is available, preparing energy for later use during evening peak hours. This allows solar businesses to maintain revenue streams under NEMS3.0 by storing energy beforehand rather than losing it during suppression periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters by shifting from direct daytime sales to time-shifted evening delivery. Energy storage systems enable the same solar energy to be delivered at different times (evening peak hours) when it is more valuable under NEMS3.0, effectively changing the temporal parameter of energy delivery to adapt to new program requirements.
2Reliability
If thermal generators (gas peakers) are used to mitigate evening demand, then grid reliability is maintained during peak hours, but energy costs increase and unclean energy is consumed
Solution Approach 1:
Energy storage systems act as an intermediary between solar PV generation and evening peak demand. Instead of directly using thermal generators to meet evening demand, the system stores solar energy during the day and releases it during peak hours, mediating the supply to avoid costly and polluting thermal generation while maintaining grid reliability.
3Loss of energy
If businesses stagger equipment operation times to lower demand charges, then electricity costs are reduced, but operational flexibility and monitoring complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service by using automated control systems that manage equipment operation timing without requiring constant human monitoring. The energy management system automatically staggers equipment operation to optimize demand charges, allowing businesses to reduce costs while maintaining ease of operation through automation rather than manual management.
4Productivity
If NEMS3.0 incentivizes clean energy production during evening peak hours, then grid balance is improved and renewable energy utilization increases, but conventional solar businesses lose revenue opportunities
Solution Approach 1:
The system ensures continuity of useful action by maintaining solar energy utilization throughout the day and into the evening. Instead of solar production ending at sunset, energy storage extends the useful action of solar energy into evening peak hours, allowing continuous utilization and revenue generation while supporting NEMS3.0's goal of increased renewable energy utilization during peak demand.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This system effectively balances the grid, reduces electricity costs by up to 25% IRR, promotes clean energy adoption, and enhances grid stability by optimizing resource utilization and aligning energy production with demand-supply curves during peak hours.
Implementation Method 1
smart integration of solar PV systems
Implementation Method 2
energy storage system (ESS) coupled to the building switchgear to selectively provide power
Data Source
AI summary
A system to manage power consumption for a building with solar panels includes a building switchgear; an energy storage system (ESS) coupled to the building switchgear to selectively provide power in response to a customer power demand to prevent a customer grid power consumption from spiking and peaking at grid imbalance highest cost on peak times; an energy management system (EMS) to operate the ESS from behind-the-meter; and a battery size determination unit to select a battery to the building given a solar capacity of the building.