Why do we need a Bess system?

Deploying BESS can help defer or circum-vent the need for new grid investments by meeting peak demand with energy stored from lower-demand periods, thereby reducing congestion and improving overall transmission and distribution asset utilization.

How much power can a Bess generate?

The BESS can bid 30 MW and 119 MWh of its capacity directly into the market for energy arbitrage, while the rest is withheld for maintaining grid frequency during unexpected outages until other, slower generators can be brought online (AEMO 2018).

Can Bess be used in large-scale grid applications?

There are several deployments of BESS for large-scale grid applications. One example is the Hornsdale Power Reserve, a 100 MW/129 MWh lithium-ion battery installation, the largest lithium-ion BESS in the world, which has been in operation in South Australia since December 2017.

What services can be provided by Bess?

Appropriately sized BESS can also provide longer-duration services, such as load-following and ramping services, to ensure supply meets demand. Transmission and Distribution Upgrade Deferrals: The electricity grid’s transmission and distribution infrastructure must be sized to meet peak demand, which may only occur over a few hours of the year.

How does a Bess market work?

In a wholesale energy market, the BESS operator submits a bid for a specific service, such as operating reserves, to the market operator, who then arranges the valid bids in a least-cost fashion and selects as many bids as necessary to meet the system’s demands.

Can a Bess provide multiple services?

Given the relatively recent and limited deployment of BESS, many stakeholders may also be unaware of the full capabilities of storage, including the ability of a BESS to provide multiple services at both the distribution and transmission level.