ees AWARD 2022: Finalists Optimize Installation and Safety of Energy Storage Systems

Pforzheim, April 7, 2022: Batteries and energy storage systems are key components of the future energy world. There is huge potential for optimization in particular when it comes to installation and temperature management – as demonstrated by the finalists in the running for this year’s ees AWARD. The panel of judges for the renowned industry prize has selected ground-breaking products and solutions. The award ceremony will be held on May 10, 2022. That’s one day before The smarter E Europe and its four energy exhibitions – Intersolar Europe, ees Europe, EM-Power Europe and Power2Drive Europe – which will be taking place at Messe München from May 11–13, 2022.

Solar Promotion GmbH

An industry cannot move forward without innovation. The storage industry’s innovation prize, the ees AWARD, puts companies and their pioneering solutions in the spotlight. The ees AWARD ceremony will be held in Hall 1 of the Internationales Congress Center München (ICM) at 6:00pm on May 10, 2022. The ceremonies for the Intersolar AWARD and The smarter E AWARD will take place at the same time – all under the umbrella of The smarter E Europe innovation hub. The awards honor the innovative products and projects of future-oriented companies that play a key role in the success of the new energy world.

Environmentally friendly batteries and smart transport and software solutions

The finalists in the running for this year’s ees AWARD have been working on improvements to installation and safety. Modularization has been used to break down heavy components into smaller parts, so that small-scale storage systems can be installed by one person alone in most cases. When it comes to utility-scale storage systems, there is more of a focus on balancing the temperature during operation. Individual modules and strings are being balanced electrically too. The companies are also working towards minimizing the carbon footprint by making cooling more efficient. Second-life storage systems and the option of simply replacing individual cells rather than full modules, brought about by avoiding soldered and welded connections, are becoming focal points. Plus, there is the ongoing trend of increasing charge and discharge capacity.

The 2022 ees AWARD finalists

• Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (China): The High Power LFP Battery Solution for UPS Application from CATL is a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) rack solution for high-voltage applications with large capacities. It allows for a discharge current with a C-rate of 6C, equating to full discharge in ten minutes. The passively cooled racks are available in five sizes, ranging from around 32 to 39 kilowatt hours (kWh). The largest system delivers up to 288 kilowatts (kW). Safety measures have been put in place to stop thermal runaway. If one cell overheats, the cell next to it will not exceed a temperature of 110 degrees Celsius. This is an effective way of stopping cell-to-cell propagation in a module, thereby facilitating safe operation.
• Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (China): EnerOne, the outdoor liquid cooling battery energy storage system (BESS) based on lithium iron phosphate (LFP), has a nominal capacity of 372.7 kWh with a surface area of just 1.69 square meters. The cells with a capacity of 280 ampere hours (Ah) have a discharge rating of 1C and guarantee a life span of up to 8,000 cycles. The system is suitable for inverters in the range between 600 and 1500 volts (V). It can be used flexibly in outdoor applications thanks to the permissible ambient temperature range of -30 to +50 degrees Celsius. It has passed critical tests in line with UL9540A on the cell, module and rack level, without the need for any support from a fire suppression system.
• E-Stream GmbH & Co KGaA (Germany): The storage system IESS-101/90/996/20A with application-dependent air or liquid cooling, uses the patented e.quikk system to connect cylindrical cells, making it easy for them to be replaced when they come to the end of their life. This opens the door for new second-life applications. The modules are designed to hold 588 cylindrical cells and have an energy content of 5.05 kilowatt hours (kWh). Combining 20 modules in one rack creates a 101-kWh storage system with a nominal voltage of 888 volts (V).
• Honeywell Xtralis (Switzerland): The Li-Ion Tamer Gen 2 is a detection solution designed to make lithium-ion batteries safer. One controller containing up to 15 sensors can be integrated into new and existing systems alike. It detects the presence of battery electrolyte solvent vapors (off-gas events), which are an early indicator of thermal runaway in li-ion batteries. A warning period of up to 25 minutes allows time for the storage system to be shut down and safety measures to be taken.
• Huawei Technologies Co., LTD (China): The FusionSolar Smart String Energy Storage System Solution minimizes disbalance and compensation currents in the system through its integrated smart rack controller and pack optimizer, ultimately improving the performance and extending the life span. Adapted cooling allows for the discharge energy to be increased by up to 15 percent. The cell temperatures vary by no more than three degrees Celsius during operation. The complete solution – including the power electronics and extinguisher – is stored in outdoor containers to save space.
• Inaccess Ltd (United Kingdom): The Storage Power Plant Controller (S-PCC) is a smart, manufacturer-independent system that controls storage inverters and coordinates storage control with the active power control of the photovoltaic system and the reactive power compensation. Alongside automated operation and AI capability, it has an intuitive interface to make it straightforward to operate battery systems effectively. This results in interoperability for entire power plant parks, meaning that operators no longer have to manage isolated systems.
• Shenzhen Cubenergy Co., Ltd. (China): FlexCombo-M100 is a smart all-in-one microgrid system with a power rating of 100 kilowatts (kW) and a nominal battery capacity of 128/192 kilowatt hours (kWh) that has been designed primarily to be used in off-grid locations. Battery strings, the battery management system (BMS), inverters and the fire control system for the FlexCombo-M100 are all stored in a standard container (2200 x1300 x2490 millimeters) to make transportation, installation and maintenance as straightforward as possible. The manufacturer can ensure outstanding reliability backed up by the modular design, global service centers and a mean time between failures (MTBF) of more than 20,000 hours.
• STABL Energy GmbH (Germany): STABL SI 100, the modular multi-level converter for battery storage systems replaces standard battery inverters. When it comes to generating alternating voltage for the grid, the usual process of switching is no longer relied upon. Instead, the battery modules are dynamically connected and disconnected to incrementally build up and reduce the output voltage. With lower switching voltages and frequencies, the conversion efficiency will be higher than with standard battery inverters, reaching a maximum of 99.4 percent. The concept allows for battery modules to be integrated in different states, which is an advantage for second-life applications in particular.
• Sungrow Power Supply Co., Ltd. (China): The Power Titan ST2752UX Liquid Cooled Energy Storage System achieves higher efficiency and performance levels by means of liquid cooling to start with. The temperature drift between individual cells is also kept below three degrees Celsius, which, according to the manufacturer, extends the life span by ten percent. The new cluster controller can charge and discharge separate battery racks individually, which improves the overall system performance by six percent. The automatic state of charge (SoC) calibration and the automated system for refilling coolant considerably reduces the operating and maintenance costs.
• Voltfang GmbH (Germany): According to the company’s claims, Voltfang Industrial is the first commercial storage system at the battery module level to rely solely on used lithium-ion batteries from electric cars. The system is compatible with battery modules of various types, sizes and voltage ranges. Voltfang uses its own test process to check their properties including the remaining life span. The proprietary master BMS can communicate with and continue to harness the module BMS. According to Voltfang, the life cycle of batteries from electric vehicles can be extended by between 8 and 15 years in second-life applications. With performance still sufficient for typical storage applications, peak load capping is another potential market. By not using new battery cells, carbon dioxide emissions are reduced considerably – a clear benefit for companies committed to sustainability.

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