German Energy Storage Project Suffers Operational Losses Due To Insufficient Power Conversion System Capacity

 

 

 

 

German Energy Storage Project Suffers Operational Losses Due to Insufficient Power Conversion System Capacity; Forum to Explore Case Study of Design Flaws

 

 

 

A market participant believed they could dispatch a specific amount of energy from a lithium ion battery energy storage systems, yet the system failed to respond. In this case-which incurred significant costs for the operator-the root of the problem did not lie with the batteries themselves. This specific case study will be discussed in detail during the second day of the Battery Business & Development Forum on April 1st.

The operator sought an analysis after revenues fell short of expectations. The lithium ion battery for renewable energy storage in question-rated at battery energy storage capacity of 80 MWh with a power output of 40 MW-experienced performance losses during up to 32% of its operating hours in certain months; in the most severe instances, performance failed completely in approximately 15% of all events. The system not only failed to deliver sufficient power output but, at times, saw its output drop to zero. Acting in accordance with their agreement with the operator, the market participant executed trades in day-ahead or intraday markets based on the system's reported "full-power available energy" data; however, due to the technical fault, the system was unable to deliver the contracted energy, resulting in financial penalties that were subsequently passed on to the operator.

An analysis conducted by the BLOOPOWER batteries & energy storage consultant team revealed that the batteries were functioning correctly; the root cause of the issue lay within the Power Conversion System (PCS). The PCS was underspecified relative to the site's actual operational requirements; the system's sustained demand for active power pushed it close to the PCS's maximum apparent power limit, leaving virtually no headroom to provide the reactive power required to meet technical grid interconnection standards. Consequently, the system was unable to sustain stable, continuous operation at high power levels. The forum session will explore this specific case study-alongside other real-world project examples involving temperature management, PCS design, and Energy Management System/SCADA issues-with the aim of helping operators, developers, and investors understand and mitigate revenue-related risks.