Greensmith, a provider of grid-scale energy storage software and integration solutions, announced the addition of two new applications to its GEMS4 software technology platform. The new StorageModel and StorageView applications offer advanced simulation and visualization capabilities to energy storage developers and owners. With the new applications, energy storage developers and owners can test alternative energy storage system designs and gain valuable real-time intelligence on performance, helping them optimize system design and maximize return on investment (ROI).
StorageModel, the new simulation application, leverages system design data, technical specifications and information about battery life, similar historical storage deployment data and lessons learned from Greensmith’s past storage deployments to develop a comprehensive model of expected battery and energy storage system performance over the system’s lifetime. The StorageModel application enables Greensmith to test different design decisions, helping customers and partners to develop the best possible system for their particular use case.
“Like a wind tunnel for automobiles, the GEMS StorageModel application allows energy storage system developers and owners to evaluate alternative designs before committing procurement dollars to components such as batteries,” said Greensmith CEO John Jung. “Similar to advanced simulation systems used in other technology industries, the GEMS StorageModel application can improve the success of grid-scale energy storage systems by exposing key design trade-off decisions, from battery selection to sizing to application mix. As an integral part of the current GEMS platform, the StorageModel application reflects the maturity of the Greensmith technology and offers immediate economic advantages to our customers and partners.”
In addition to the StorageModel application, Greensmith has added StorageView, a visualization application, to version four of its GEMS energy storage software platform. The StorageView application provides customers with unprecedented visualization based on GEMS’ data-rich environment. Customers can use this visualization to better understand the performance of complex, grid-scale systems, identify technical problems, anticipate maintenance requirements, reduce operational costs and improve overall energy storage system returns.
“The GEMS StorageView visualization application provides energy storage owners with a navigable, real-time 3D model of their energy storage systems,” said Greensmith VP of Engineering, Sen Zhang. “As the industry is beginning to understand the importance of software control and design, energy storage owners now have a new management tool to help them discover valuable performance characteristics of their energy storage system down to the battery module level, across their fleet of systems, all from a central console.”
Both the StorageView and StorageModel applications are now included in version four of the GEMS energy storage software platform. The GEMS software platform manages the complete life cycle of energy storage systems. The technology-agnostic platform integrates all storage system components including batteries and inverters, manages storage assets to optimize battery performance and provides connectivity with utility SCADA systems. GEMS offers applications for tasks such as frequency regulation, ramp rate control and renewables smoothing. In its fourth generation of development over six years, GEMS uses advanced, proprietary algorithms to maximize “battery-dollars.”
Energy storage’s ability to ensure a more resilient power grid is increasing its adoption in North America and around the world. The recent U.S. Energy Storage Monitor from GTM Research and Energy Storage Association (ESA), reported that 61.9 megawatts of energy storage came online in the U.S. in 2014. Of that, over one-third was delivered by Greensmith and is managed using the GEMS platform.