Energy storage in the commercial and industrial (C&I) sector is poised for significant growth over the next decade, with the U.S. forecast to be one of the largest incremental markets.
Among factors driving this growth is the rising popularity of renewable energy, which tends to come with a degree of volatility and intermittence, carrying potential risks and operational concerns for the grid. The combination of energy storage with renewables contributes significantly to risk mitigation and grid stability. Power outages caused by natural disasters and supply-demand imbalances can also bring about substantial economic losses, with an ESS playing a big part in the increased interest in establishing backup power.
Equally, electricity costs for the C&I sector in the U.S. are relatively high. Driven by incentives, including time-of-use electricity pricing and favourable updated rules on net metering, ancillary services, federal and state subsidies, a C&I ESS can increase revenue.
Profitability, safety, integration and O&M costs are always major concerns for stakeholders when choosing an ideal C&I ESS, leading to Sungrow launching its highly competitive liquid cooled system, the PowerStack.
The product is designed for the 250kW mainstream market, with a battery capacity ranging from 500kWh to 1MWh, available for 2-hour and 4-hour applications. The solution combines lithium-ion batteries, power conversion system (PCS), battery management system (BMS) and fire suppression system (FSS), streamlining transportation, installation and O&M. The product is jointly pre-commissioned, with all parameters set before it leaves the manufacturing base, decreasing on-site commissioning time and guaranteeing early revenue for project owners.
Due to its liquid cooling technology, the PowerStack comes with a lower battery temperature difference, extending the lifetime of batteries and significantly improving charging and discharging efficiency. Compared with a conventional air-cooled design, the liquid cooled system also reduces thermal management energy consumption, with automatic state of charge (SoC) calibration and automated coolant refilling also considerably lowering O&M costs.
With safety a top priority for battery system technology, the PowerStack offers a comprehensive safety design from cell, electrical and system levels. AI-assisted cell monitoring technology performs high-precision online computing of cell status and provides early-stage warnings to prevent thermal runaway. Four layers of overcurrent and anti-arc protection mitigate electrical hazards, with patented pipe connectors, IP65 module design, one-way breather valve and drip collector further ensuring system safety.
Sungrow is one of few companies to offer both PV inverter and ESS solutions, with its comprehensive solar-plus-storage solution, optimized for C&I markets, ensuring lower power pricing and ongoing energy security.