Last June, we had the privilege of attending Intersolar Europe in Germany, set in the stunning, history-rich city of Munich. Germany, famed for its beer and sausages, offered us our first taste of the local culture the moment we landed. We found ourselves at a counter, surrounded by a menu written entirely in German, with the staff speaking only in German. It was a humbling moment where frustration crept in—there we were, ready to order, but the language barrier left us feeling lost and confused.
This experience mirrors a common challenge in the renewables industry today, particularly in energy storage systems (ESS).
The Problem: Mixed Languages in Energy Storage Systems
Just like our language barrier in Germany, energy storage components often “speak” different languages, and sometimes even different dialects of the same language. What does this mean for ESS owners and operators? Frustration and confusion.
Imagine this: one component requires you to log into one system to get performance data, and another component within the same system requires you to go somewhere else entirely for the same type of information. It becomes an exhausting puzzle where the end user is left scrambling to get all the pieces—components, protocols, systems—speaking the same language. This lack of integration makes it difficult to fully understand the state of your energy assets, let alone manage them efficiently.
The Impact: Delays and Frustration
When your energy storage system doesn’t work seamlessly, the consequences are immediate and significant. Deployment timelines get stretched, and sometimes the system remains inactive until integration issues are resolved. This creates pressure from stakeholders, not to mention overruns in both budget and time.
On top of that, your operations center is left with incomplete or inaccurate information, making it difficult to monitor and manage assets. The lack of clear, unified communication across your components leads to a host of issues, from downtime to potential missed opportunities for optimisation.
The Solution: A Unified System for Seamless Communication
To avoid these frustrations and future-proof your energy assets, you need a solution that simplifies how your components communicate. Here’s what to look for in an effective energy management system (EMS):
- Unified Control and Monitoring: Your system should provide a single platform for monitoring and controlling all components*, eliminating the need for multiple logins and interfaces.
- Comprehensive Monitoring: To reduce ute rollovers, cut operating costs, and improve SAIDI/SAIFI, your NOC needs reliable, easy-to-access data from remote assets. A clear overview, from multiple sites down to individual components, gives your team the visibility they need to make smart decisions at every level.
- Secure Hosting: Ideally, you want an EMS that runs within your network, without needing Cloud access. If the EMS supervisor is on your server, your asset’s security matches that of your network. If your network has dual redundant servers, choose an EMS that can sit in both. This ensures your energy storage assets are secure and have redundancy.
- Protocol Flexibility: The system should support a variety of protocols for both reading and writing data, as well as converting between them to ensure seamless integration.
- Future-Proofing with Protocol Drivers: As the energy storage industry evolves, your system should have the flexibility to add new protocol drivers to accommodate emerging technologies.
- Report Generation: To stay ahead of potential issues, your EMS should provide the ability to run detailed reports—such as identifying all SAPS sites in a region where generator fuel levels are below 20%. Ideally, look for a system that can have pre-set schedules to run maintenance and servicing. This keeps records and data all in one place saving time when reviewing information or pulling data.
*Multiple read & read/write points of all components within a site, such as: Solar Controllers, Inverters/ Chargers, Batteries, HVAV and Fans, Temperature/ Humidity, UPS, Breakers, EV Chargers, CCTV, Environmental Sensors, Generator etc
By adopting a unified solution like this, you can streamline your energy storage operations, reduce downtime, and minimise frustration.
If you’re ready to transform how you manage your energy storage assets, we’re here to help. Learn more about our EMS capabilities by reaching out today!
Key Takeaways:
- One system to control and monitor all components
- Monitor at both multi-site and component levels
- Host on a secure server of your choice
- Support for a variety of protocols—with read/write and conversion capabilities
- Flexibility to add new protocol drivers as technologies evolve
- Report generation to identify trends and concerns in real-time
