Battery energy storage system (BESS) solutions.

Energy and asset management software improves return on investment.

The release of specialised battery energy storage system (BESS) solutions featuring energy and asset management software for Emerson's Ovation™ Green portfolio of renewable energy solutions has been announced. Combining field-proven, purpose-built power plant controllers, energy management strategies and supervisory control and data acquisition software (SCADA), Emerson’s BESS solution connects devices and systems across manufacturers, aggregating and contextualising battery storage data into actionable insights to help optimise battery usage and extended battery life, enabling higher profitability, efficiency and sustainability.

Emerson’s Ovation Green BESS solutions will be on display at the Ovation Users’ Group conference, on July 27-31, 2025, in Pittsburgh, USA

The global battery energy storage market has reached an inflection point as technology advancements and global demand for sustainable electricity drive increasing value in renewable energy storage and grid management. As the International Energy Agency forecasts global electricity demand to grow at close to 4% annually through 2027, grid operators are bracing for increased load demand – a shift that will create dynamic changes in energy markets. Battery storage sites can capitalise on this market shift, but only if they can navigate the complexities of battery energy storage operation: siloed data, higher maintenance costs and a need for flexible operation to allow for safe, effective and efficient demand management.

“Today’s energy producers are increasingly creating hybrid projects with multiple renewable energy types – solar, wind, battery and more – aggregated together,” said Bob Yeager, president of Emerson’s power and water business. “This wide array of options empowers them to get the best return on investment, whether supplying energy directly to the grid in times of high demand or storing it when demand is low. Capitalising on constantly shifting markets means switching operating modes quickly on demand. This in turn requires a powerful, proven battery energy management system that integrates seamlessly with the site’s SCADA system.”

Ovation Green BESS solutions include an advanced, specialised battery algorithm suite that streamlines battery control through out-of-the-box, customisable function blocks that distribute proportioned setpoints to individual components such as inverters and battery management systems. The resulting control strategy automatically optimises charge and discharge cycles and grid interactions for fast, precise and reliable demand management.

Emerson’s collaboration with Zitara Technologies*, a leader in advanced battery management software, expands Ovation Green BESS capabilities by integrating cutting-edge battery management with the industry-leading Ovation Automation Platform. The enhanced solution provides operators with instant and accurate visibility into the state of charge and health conditions for batteries, improving the site’s energy power and availability forecasting and adding predictive safety features.

Through increased visibility and more granular control of all batteries, BESS owners and operators can achieve optimised battery usage and extended battery life, enabling higher profitability, efficiency and sustainability. In addition, the more standardised, repeatable approach to battery energy management enables faster deployment across multiple sites, reduces site visits and ensures consistent operations by eliminating the need to train every operator on a wide variety of OEM battery management interfaces.

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* See also "Partnership enhances battery management." (21/2/2025)

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Thermal monitoring for battery storage systems.

Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are essential for storing renewable energy and ensuring grid stability. However, their implementation comes with inherent risks, particularly related to lithium-ion battery fires.

ESS fires can start from thermal runaway, where one cell failure can trigger a cascade of overheating, leading to fires that are difficult to extinguish and can last for hours or even days. Should a fire breakout, hazardous gases would release from the batteries, posing health risks to nearby communities and causing environmental damage through soil and water contamination. In severe cases, BESS fires have the potential for huge disruptions to locals through property damage and even evacuations.

Traditional detection methods such as flame detectors often fail in the early stages of a BESS fire due to their reliance on visible flames or smoke, which might not be immediately present. Where flame detectors fall short, thermal imaging cameras can significantly improve protection and prevent fires before they ever reach combustion.

FLIR A700F Advance Smart Sensor

Advantages of Thermal Cameras for BESS.
Thermal cameras detect the heat signature from the onset of thermal runaway long before visible flames or smoke appear, allowing for preemptive action to mitigate risks. While flame detectors react to events that have already happened, a fixed thermal camera such as the FLIR A700F Advance Smart Sensor provides 24/7 surveillance by continuously monitoring for temperature anomalies that could indicate an impending fire, thus enabling early intervention. FLIR cameras are designed for easy integration into broader safety and control systems, allowing for automated responses such as activating suppression systems that enhance response times and efficiency.

Comparison with Other Detection Methods.
While flame detectors are designed to detect visible fire, they may miss smoldering or hidden fires—meaning an alert may not be tripped until the fire has escalated to a dangerous level. FLIR thermal imaging cameras can detect heat in low light and see the beginnings of embers as they heat up surrounding materials, even when there's no visible sign of fire. This early detection can prevent escalation or at least minimize damage by providing critical time for action before fires get out of control. Another advantage of thermal cameras is their ability to monitor large areas or multiple battery racks simultaneously, providing comprehensive coverage which is often challenging for point-specific flame detectors.

Conclusion. Incorporating FLIR thermal monitoring into BESS installations not only addresses the critical safety concerns associated with battery fires but also offers a proactive, reliable, and technologically advanced solution. By choosing a FLIR fixed thermal solution, you ensure that your energy storage systems are safeguarded with the industry's leading thermal imaging technology, protecting both your investment and the community from the devastating effects of BESS fires.

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BESS communication in extreme circumstances.

The most talked about technology in the energy industry currently is large Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESSs). BESS harnesses the advanced technologies of lithium-ion batteries, integrating them with renewable energy sources. Yet this technology is more than just energy storage — BESS balances the supply and demand between renewable energy sources, power grids, and user needs. Therefore, a reliable communication system is critical for these three aspects to work well together.  Alvis Chen, Integrated Marketing Manager, Moxa discusses these challenges.

BESS communication systems must address extreme climate challenges, meet strict power auxiliary system demands, and enhance cybersecurity

Challenge of Extreme Climate Conditions.
Extreme weather events are happening more frequently now than in the past, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Heatwaves, for instance, are 2.8 times more likely to occur than in the previous decade. Such circumstances impose enormous strain on electronic communication products, as well as on human life and agriculture. Dramatic temperature fluctuations, sandstorms, and lightning strikes may cause communication equipment malfunctions, subsequently affecting the operation of BESS. Since these storage systems are often in remote areas, selecting highly durable, industrial-grade communication equipment that can withstand extreme environments is crucial.

Demand for Real-time Responses.
As power grids become more advanced and require stricter management, BESS's quick charging and discharging characteristics are essential in balancing supply with demand. Consider Britain's national grid, where the necessary power auxiliary reaction time has been decreased from a starting need of 10 seconds to just 500 milliseconds. Some countries hope that the newest storage batteries can achieve response times at the 100-millisecond level. This implies that future communication systems must have faster data transfer speeds, higher bandwidth, and more reliable network redundancy designs.

Recent Network Security Issues.
Cyberattacks on energy and power systems are increasing, leading stakeholders to pay more attention to data security. Many countries now regard the power grid system as a national-level critical infrastructure and are setting higher cybersecurity standards. NERC's "Security Integration Strategy" and the EU's "Network and Information Security Directive 2.0" are two examples of heightened security strategies. Thus, future BESS communication designs must feature improved cybersecurity to counter increasingly severe online threats.

To sum up, energy transition progress notwithstanding, BESSs face multiple challenges. In this journey, a stable communication system is key, one that addresses climate change, meets strict power auxiliary system demands, and enhances cybersecurity. Experience tells us that the selection and design of communication systems should consider all these factors to ensure stable operations. Moving forward, BESS providers must continuously monitor these crucial areas, consistently optimizing the performance and reliability of their communication systems.

As a pioneer in networks for renewable energy, Moxa recognizes the vast potential of BESS and has developed reliable, versatile, and secure products to take this battery energy storage technology to the next level. These include Moxa Arm and x86 computers, MGate protocol gateways, NPort serial device servers for environmental control, EDR routers with advanced cybersecurity, ioLogik Ethernet remote I/O, and a large portfolio of managed and unmanaged industrial Ethernet switches for superior connectivity and redundancy. 

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Glass plant sees move from fossil fuels.

Ireland is an advanced market for energy storage compared to its size and as BESS projects expand, these will help to integrate more renewables into the grid and help the country to reach 70% of renewable energy by 2030.

GridBeyond has implemented a battery energy storage system (BESS) for CareyGlass at their site in Nenagh (IRL). 

The project includes the installation and management of a 1MW – 1.1 MWh battery. The battery will provide power resiliency to the CareyGlass site by balancing any voltage dips on the site and prevent any production equipment from tripping out. This will increase production efficiency without having to invest in any major network upgrades.

The battery will also participate in grid capacity and DS3 grid services where it helps balance the grid Frequency at 50Hz as well as feedback energy to the grid when supply is low.

The BESS will also allow CareyGlass to store energy from periods when the grid mix has a lower concentration of carbon and dissipating that energy to the site at peak hours of consumption, supporting the grid to reduce carbon emitting generation at those peak periods thereby reducing the carbon intensity of the power system.

GridBeyond will manage the flexibility of the site by connecting the batteries to its AI-powered energy technology platform, GridBeyond Point. The flexibility of the hub also enables the Grid to integrate more renewable energy sources onto the electricity network, whilst reducing the carbon footprint of the power grid. 

As one of Europe’s largest glass processing companies CareyGlass provides solutions and products that contribute to stunning architectural buildings around the world. While the products they produce are sustainable in their own right by reducing the requirement for electricity to light, heat and to cool buildings, CareyGlass takes a holistic approach and have engaged in an ambitious energy plan by implementing sustainability along its entire value chain. 

Denver Blemings, GridBeyond Regional Director for Ireland, commented: “We are extremely proud of working together with CareyGlass. As we move away from fossils fuels, energy storage batteries are a great asset, which can provide more resilience, mitigate risk of power interruption and deliver a great value for the businesses in term of savings and carbon reduction.”  

Roberta Delaney, CFO at CareyGlass commented: “At CareyGlass we recognise that there is a business imperative for addressing the climate change crises head on.  We view sustainability as an investment in the future, it has become part of the very core of our company and an integral part of our day to day lives.”

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@GridBeyond_ #CareyGlass #BESS #Ireland

Communication solutions for BESS.

HMS Networks is now presenting several communication solutions for the rapidly expanding battery market. Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) require communication capabilities to connect to batteries and peripheral components, communicate with the power grid, monitor systems remotely and much more.

“We see a rapidly growing demand for communication solutions in Battery Energy Storage Systems as society as a whole is turning to more sustainable energy sources such as wind and solar,” says Alexander Hess, General Manager at HMS Business Unit Ixxat. “Communication is needed to get BESS systems to work and HMS offers an extensive portfolio of industrial communication solutions to solve the communication issues at hand in these systems.”

Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) may be one of the keys to solve the energy crisis and make the world more sustainable. Since green energy sources such as wind and solar are not always available, large battery parks can make it possible to store the energy to use when there is less sun or wind.

BESS need to communicate
Battery Energy Storage Systems are made up of battery cells which are combined into battery packs which can then be combined into containers which in turn can make up battery parks the size of several football fields. The systems can use new or recycled batteries and combine many different components. However, these large battery parks need a lot of communication capabilities in order to work. HMS now presents a comprehensive package of communication solutions catered for this application area.

Error prevention and networking of CAN-based devices
Since the battery market has been spearheaded by the car industry, CAN is the com-munication standard of choice in many systems. Here, HMS offers an extensive portfolio of communication solutions via the Ixxat brand – for PC connection, networking, line extension, galvanic isolation and more.

In networking, the protection of components is crucial, both from external sources (like lightning strikes) and from system-related issues (AC/DC noise). Device protection is a must to avoid damage.

Networking gateways
Battery Energy Storage Systems often combine a variety of different equipment from different industries within a single application – batteries, BMS, PLCs, fire detection units or air conditioning. To combine different equipment, it is necessary to interconnect various protocols and network standards. CAN, Modbus, BACnet, KNX and other proto-cols can be easily linked via intelligent gateways from HMS, which handle the all-important data exchange while also enabling centralized control.

In addition, these gateways can selectively filter, map and, if necessary, manipulate the data in order to realize the best possible data exchange.

Cloud/SCADA connectivity and remote access

Intelligent networking is also required in order to connect to cloud solutions or SCADA systems. This connection can be made by using SG (Smart Grid) gateways from HMS that support both energy and industrial fieldbus protocols, as well as protocols required for cloud connection.

The SG gateways enable centralized control as well as remote access for predictive maintenance, logging or data visualization using the i4SCADA® solution from the HMS-owned company WEBfactory®. The SG gateways also provide robust cybersecurity fea-tures, such as firewall, OpenVPN®, TLS encryption and user management. These pro-tective measures are indispensable to protect against cyber-attacks.

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