Workshop - Analysis of Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) Applications in Transmission System

Event Structure

USAID is pleased to organize a knowledge dissemination workshop on ‘Analysis of Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) Applications in Transmission System”. The session will focus on learnings derived from the BESS Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) pilot implemented at Power Grid Corporation India Limited (PGCIL), Puducherry. USAID supported PGCIL under its Greening the Grid (GTG) - Renewable Integration and Sustainable Energy (RISE) initiative in designing, developing and testing various BESS applications for its existing BESS facility at Puducherry. GTG-RISE is a key initiative under USAID’s Asia EDGE (Enhancing Development and Growth through Energy) and is implemented by Deloitte Consulting.

The event will be attended by senior representatives from Ministry of Power, USAID, PGCIL, Power System Operation Corporation Limited (POSOCO), and KEC International (USAID grantee and technical partner). Other key stakeholders that will be invited include representatives from Central Electricity Authority (CEA), Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC), etc.

Background

The GoI plans to integrate 175 GW of renewables in the national power grid by 2022. Large scale RE penetration poses significant challenges to grid operators owing to their variability and intermittent nature. Energy storage systems are one of the best alternatives to overcome the challenges posed by intermittent RE resources. More so, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are considered more viable options compared to other energy storage systems due to their technical merits. Due to its faster response time and high ramp rate, battery storage systems can work effectively during transient periods of RE generation fluctuations which is not possible with other storage systems.

One of the pilots implemented under USAID's GTG-RISE initiative aimed to support the deployment of BESS in transmission utilities by demonstrating an array of BESS applications on its value and possible usage in the Indian grid.

The pilot implemented in partnership with PGCIL includes enhancement of existing IT-based controls at its BESS facility at Puduchchery having two different battery technologies deployed with total installed capacity of 1 MW. The pilot demonstrates various possible use case feasibility of BESS system in the grid.

After successful go live event on December 21, 2020 that demonstrated the testing of control logics, the BESS applications developed under the program were tested and run for a sustained period of time under the actual grid conditions. The results of the tests and trial runs conducted under actual grid condition will be presented in the webinar.

The actual results from the test runs at the Pilot will help industry stakeholders to assess the capability of Battery Energy Storage System in providing various grid level services. The pilot will also provide insights to policy makers and regulators about the possible contributions which a Battery Energy Storage System can make in improving larger grid parameters and providing localized benefits to the system.