Energy storage in the commercial and industrial (C&I) segment is poised for growth over the next decade. It is estimated that by 2030, the annual growth of the global C&I energy storage market will exceed hundreds of billion US dollars. The United States will be one of the largest incremental markets.
C&I energy storage gains political and economic support
What factors are driving the adoption of C&I energy storage system (ESS) in the USA?
On the one hand, the rising popularity of renewable energy comes with volatility and intermittence, which brings potential risks and operation concerns to the grid. ESS coupled with renewable energy contributes to grid stability. In addition, power outages caused by natural disasters and supply-demand imbalances bring substantial economic loss, and ESS also plays a role in the increased interest for backup power.
On the other hand, the electricity cost for C&I demand is relatively high in the US. Driven by incentives including time-of-use electricity price, and favorable updated rules on net metering, ancillary services, federal and state subsidies, the C&I ESS increases revenue.
Profitability, safety, integration, and operation & maintenance (O&M) costs, are always major concerns for stakeholders when choosing an ideal C&I ESS. Sungrow, the global leading inverter and ESS solution supplier, launched its competitive C&I liquid cooled ESS, the PowerStack.
Comprehensive energy storage solution
The PowerStack is designed for the 250kW mainstream market, which is a portfolio 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 the transportation, installation and O&M. The PowerStack was jointly pre-commissioned so that all parameters were set before leaving the manufacturing base, decreasing on-site commissioning time and guaranteeing early revenue for project owners.
Lower LCOE
Due to the liquid cooling technology, the PowerStack comes with a lower battery temperature difference, extending the lifetime of batteries and significantly improving the charging and discharging efficiency. Compared with the conventional air-cooling design, the liquid cooled system also significantly reduces thermal management energy consumption.
The automatic state of charge (SoC) calibration and the automated coolant refilling considerably reduce operating and maintenance (O&M) costs.
Ultimate Safety
Safety is the top priority for battery system technology. Sungrow’s PowerStack offers comprehensive safety design from the 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 protection and anti-arc protection mitigate electrical hazards. Patented pipe connectors, IP65 module design, one-way breather valve, and drip collector ensure system safety in multiple aspects.
Sungrow offers combustible gas detection and ventilation system as well as a water-based suppression system as standard FSS configuration in the US, which meets NFPA855/NFPA69/NFPA15 requirements.
Sungrow is an early entrant in the energy storage sector with 3 GWh deployed in 2021. Its liquid cooled ESS PowerStack exceeds the demand for flexibility and outstanding performance. With increasing interest in using ESS to deliver value-added services, the community solar-plus-storage in some American states becomes another increase within the industry. Sungrow is one of a few companies offering both PV inverter and ESS solutions. The Company’s solar-plus-storage comprehensive solution optimized for C&I markets will ensure lower power pricing, and energy security, all while helping to tackle the climate crisis.
About Sungrow
Sungrow Power Supply Co., Ltd. (“Sungrow”) is the world’s most bankable inverter brand with over 269 GW installed worldwide as of June 2022. Founded in 1997 by Professor Cao Renxian, Sungrow is a leader in the research and development of solar inverters with the largest dedicated R&D team in the industry and a broad product portfolio offering PV inverter solutions and energy storage systems for utility-scale, commercial & industrial, and residential applications, as well as internationally recognized floating PV plant solutions, NEV driving solutions, EV charging solutions and renewable hydrogen production systems. With a strong 25-year track record in the PV space, Sungrow products power over 150 countries worldwide. Learn more about Sungrow by visiting www.sungrowpower.com.