Execution planning for battery storage, incl. grid connection
Battery storage detailed design: we plan system architecture, safety systems and grid connection down to the smallest detail.
Execution planning is the planning stage from which your battery storage system is built. We plan your energy storage solution from the system architecture through the safety systems to grid connection integration. With precise technical detailed design, we make sure your battery storage system, including the grid infrastructure, can be operated efficiently, reliably and in a future-proof way.
A battery energy storage system (BESS) consists of several subsystems: battery modules with monitoring and cooling, inverters (PCS), a transformer and an energy management system. The detailed design defines how they work together and is the basis for tendering, procurement and construction. Decisive questions include the number of independent inverter units, because it determines how much capacity is lost in the event of a fault, as well as heat dissipation, noise and open interfaces in the energy management. In the event of a grid fault, the power electronics limit the current, which affects the short-circuit current and the triggering of protection. A certification concept for the overall system should be clarified with the grid operator at an early stage. Temperature differences within the strings accelerate uneven ageing, so thermal management is part of the design, and control dynamics with dead time, settling time and setpoint accuracy are decisive for balancing energy. The transformer causes losses and is part of the grid connection. Together with the losses of the inverter and auxiliary power, it reduces the real system efficiency. Requirements for the site, foundations and cable routes are also defined at this stage.
Safety systems primarily mean fire protection. In lithium-ion systems, a short circuit can lead to thermal runaway that spreads to neighbouring cells. Depending on the battery system, the installation and the conditions of the permit, fire protection concepts may provide for, among other things, battery management, fire detection, gas sensing with ventilation, extinguishing measures as well as fire service access and extinguishing water. Manufacturers often demonstrate separation distances and thermal radiation through large-scale fire tests. Requirements for outdoor installation, for distances to buildings, other installations and property boundaries, and for fire alarm systems follow from the respective permit decision, the applicable provincial law and the relevant technical codes. Authorisation depends on access for fire service vehicles and an adequate extinguishing water supply, and the local fire brigade should be involved early. Further protective measures are often agreed with the insurers. For outdoor installations, the requirements also concern fencing, ventilation and pressure relief; organisationally, depending on the battery system and the permit decision, a fire protection and emergency plan and the ability to isolate the system in the event of damage may be added. The Construction Works Coordination Act (BauKG) already applies in the preparation phase: the planning coordinator compiles the safety and health plan (SiGe plan) and the file for subsequent works; the plan is required for construction sites subject to prior notice and for work involving special hazards, such as near high-voltage lines. Sound planning reduces interface problems between trades and creates a clear basis for grid operators and authorities.
We can build on the civil engineering design of the storage infrastructure from the permitting phase. The finished detailed design is followed by the tender for storage components and the tender for the electrical and construction works. The planning is backed up financially by the investment and operating cost plan for storage and grid.
