10/22/24, 8:26 AM A Guide to Battery Energy Storage System Components - EVESCO

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BATTERY ENERGY
STORAGE SYSTEM
COMPONENTS
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10/22/24, 8:26 AM A Guide to Battery Energy Storage System Components - EVESCO

grids to become more flexible and resilient. It allows grid

operators to store energy generated by solar and wind at
times when those resources are abundant and then
discharge that energy at a later time when needed.

For anyone working within the energy storage industry,

especially developers and EPCs, it is essential to have a
general understanding of critical battery energy storage
system components and how those components work
together.

There are many different chemistries of batteries used in

energy storage systems. Still, for this guide, we will
focus on lithium-based systems, the most rapidly
growing and widely deployed type representing over 90%
of the market.

In more detail, let’s look at the critical components of a

battery energy storage system (BESS).

Battery System
The battery is a crucial component within the BESS; it
stores the energy ready to be dispatched when needed.
The battery comprises a fixed number of lithium cells
wired in series and parallel within a frame to create a
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module. The modules are then stacked and combined to
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form a battery rack. Battery racks can be connected in
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series or parallel to reach the required voltage and
current of the battery energy storage system. These
racks are the building blocks to creating a large, high-
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10/22/24, 8:26 AM A Guide to Battery Energy Storage System Components - EVESCO

power BESS. EVESCO’s battery systems utilize UL1642

cells, UL1973 modules and UL9540A tested racks
ensuring both safety and quality.

You can see the build-up of the battery from cell to rack
in the picture below.

Battery Management
System (BMS)
Any lithium-based energy storage system must have a
Battery Management System (BMS). The BMS is the
brain of the battery system, with its primary function
being to safeguard and protect the battery from damage
in various operational scenarios. To achieve this, the
BMS has to ensure that the battery operates within pre-
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determined
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battery management systems, like those used by
EVESCO, have a multi-tiered framework that allows real-
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10/22/24, 8:26 AM A Guide to Battery Energy Storage System Components - EVESCO

time monitoring and protection of the battery within the

BESS not just at the cell level but at the module, string,
and system level. The BMS constantly monitors the
status of the battery and uses application-specific
algorithms to analyze the data, control the battery’s
environment, and balance it. This is critical for the
thermal management of the battery to help prevent
thermal runaway. A well-designed BMS is a vital battery
energy storage system component and ensures the
safety and longevity of the battery in any lithium BESS.

The below picture shows a three-tiered battery

management system. This BMS includes a first-level
system main controller MBMS, a second-level battery
string management module SBMS, and a third-level
battery monitoring unit BMU, wherein the SBMS can
mount up to 60 BMUs.

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10/22/24, 8:26 AM A Guide to Battery Energy Storage System Components - EVESCO

Power Conversion System

(PCS) or Hybrid Inverter
The battery system within the BESS stores and delivers
electricity as Direct Current (DC), while most electrical
systems and loads operate on Alternating Current (AC).
Due to this, a Power Conversion System (PCS) or Hybrid
Inverter is needed. These devices are much more
dynamic than standard inverters as they can convert
power bi-directionally. This means DC power from the
battery can be converted to AC power for use with grid
or electrical loads, and AC power can be converted to DC
power to charge the battery. This effectively gives the
BESS its ability to both charge and discharge. The PCS
has various modes which can be set for different
charging and discharging strategies based on the
specific application of the BESS. For the PCS or Hybrid
Inverter to be effective within the BESS, it needs to have
access to the status of the battery, so it knows when to
charge and when to discharge. For instance, if you set
the depth of discharge (DoD) of the battery to 90%, it
needs to know when the battery is at a 10% state of
charge (SoC) to stop discharging. The PCS can provide a
fast and accurate power response by communicating
with
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privacy
strategy, external signals (on-site meters, etc..), or an
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Energy Management System (EMS).
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Regarding the PCS, two types of configuration are

essential to know. AC-coupled and DC-coupled. For solar Translate »
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10/22/24, 8:26 AM A Guide to Battery Energy Storage System Components - EVESCO

+ storage applications, there is a choice between the

two.

AC-coupled is when the BESS is connected external to

the solar PV system on the AC side of the PV inverter.
The BESS has its own dedicated inverter connected to
the battery.

DC-coupled is when the battery is connected to the same

DC bus where the solar PV lands—utilizing a hybrid
inverter that is shared between the PV and the BESS.

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10/22/24, 8:26 AM A Guide to Battery Energy Storage System Components - EVESCO

Controller
If the BMS is the brain of the battery system, then the
controller is the brain of the entire BESS. It monitors,
controls, protects, communicates, and schedules the
BESS’s key components, called subsystems. As well as
communicating with the components of the energy
storage system itself, it can also communicate with
external devices such as electricity meters and
transformers, ensuring the BESS is operating optimally.
The controller has multiple levels of protection, including
overload protection in charging and reverse power
protection in discharging. The controller can integrate
with third-party SCADA and EMS for complete data
acquisition and energy management.

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10/22/24, 8:26 AM A Guide to Battery Energy Storage System Components - EVESCO

HVAC (Heating,
ventilation, and air
conditioning)
The HVAC is an integral part of a battery energy storage
system; it regulates the internal environment by moving
air between the inside and outside of the system’s
enclosure. With lithium battery systems maintaining an
optimal operating temperature and good air distribution
helps prolong the cycle life of the battery system.
Without proper thermal management, the battery cells
can overheat, leading to increased degradation,
malfunction, or even thermal runaway, having the correct
type of HVAC system will result in better performance
for the BESS and a longer life for the batteries.

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10/22/24, 8:26 AM A Guide to Battery Energy Storage System Components - EVESCO

Fire Suppression
The fire suppression system within a BESS is an
additional layer of protection. As we mentioned earlier in
the article, all BESS have a Battery Management System
which ensures the battery operates within safe
parameters, including the temperature. If an elevated
temperature outside the set parameters is reached, the
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will automatically shut the system down; however,
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10/22/24, 8:26 AM A Guide to Battery Energy Storage System Components - EVESCO

activate; this could be activated through gas, smoke, or

heat detection, depending on which fire suppression
system the BESS has. Once started, the fire suppression
system will release an agent which suppresses the fire,
providing a cooling effect and absorbing the heat.
Several options are available for fire suppression
systems, and they are usually designed according to the
size of the BESS enclosure. At EVESCO, we use fire
suppression systems that utilize Novec1230 or FM-200,
depending on the size of the system to meet
international standards.

SCADA (Supervisory
Control and Data
Acquisition System)
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components within the BESS; it communicates with the
controller via PLC (Programmable Logic Controller). The
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10/22/24, 8:26 AM A Guide to Battery Energy Storage System Components - EVESCO

SCADA typically communicates with the BMS to monitor

battery status, and it can also communicate with the
PCS/Hybrid-Inverter and auxiliary meters. From the HMI
(Human Machine Interface), operators can issue
start/stop commands, charging/discharging commands,
and set parameters for the BMS and auxiliary systems.
Most BESS can integrate with third-party SCADA
systems via different interfaces, including Register Map.
It is possible that SCADA can take on the role of an EMS.

Energy Management
System (EMS)
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The energy management system is in charge of
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communicates directly with the PCS/Hybrid Inverter and
BMS, frequently considering external data points from
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10/22/24, 8:26 AM A Guide to Battery Energy Storage System Components - EVESCO

things such as the electric grid, transformers, PV arrays,

and loads. The EMS is responsible for determining when
and how to discharge power, which is typically decided
by the application specifics such as peak shaving, load
shifting, or self-consumption. An EMS will optimize BESS
performance by balancing application cycling data and
battery life with the asset’s return on investment while at
the same time considering the limitations of the BMS
and PCS/Hybrid Inverter. The EMS will also collect and
analyze BESS performance data, making reporting and
forecasting easy.

These are the critical components of a battery energy

storage system that make them safe, efficient, and
valuable. There are several other components and parts
to consider with a BESS which can differ between
manufacturers. At EVESCO our BESS have rugged
containerized
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systems are fully assembled before shipment, a true
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