Battery storage. It isn’t typically something to get powered up about, but as the Seven States Power team recently discovered, there are some exceptions.

Our team recently received three 13.5 kwh batteries from EPB in Chattanooga for use in our Smart Grid Lab and installed one on each phase of electrical service at our headquarters.

“Most energy storage providers are focused on large grid-scale batteries or small residential batteries. We’re interested in understanding energy storage for our many small and medium businesses,” explained Lance Irwin, EPB’s Director of Energy Solutions Technology. “Seven States Power’s Smart Grid Lab is a great opportunity for our vendors and other LPC’s to learn from a real-world application.”

The units are flat, wall-mounted lithium-ion batteries that store electricity for solar self-consumption, time of use load shifting, backup power, and off-the-grid use. The modular system offers the flexibility to add multiple batteries for homes or businesses with high energy demands. Part of the testing with the manufacturer is a new load forecasting function that will automatically dispatch the batteries for optimal cost savings based on the building load and the electricity rates.

“In our laboratory, we will test how the batteries work, how well they perform, and how these batteries compare to other products on the market,” said Steve Noe, director of strategic energy solutions. “Battery storage will be an integral part of microgrids in the future, so we’re particularly interested in how it combines with technologies that could be used as a microgrid and how well it integrates into the DER Management System (DERMS).”

Our load management simulation laboratory is designed to integrate technologies that could benefit our members, show how DERMS software works in real time, and to explore the capability it offers those seeking to manage costs by filling valleys and shaving peaks.

The next phase of our Smart Grid Lab development includes the addition of load forecasting capabilities and controllable lighting.

Schedule a Tour

Laboratory tours will be available when COVID-19 restrictions are lifted and it is deemed appropriate to reopen our offices. Please contact any of our team members to schedule a tour of the lab, or email us at info@7spc.com.