储能已成为当今电网的重要组成部分。由于可再生能源的发电高峰期不同于能源需求高峰期,因此将部分过剩电力存储以备后用,这种场景对未来的清洁能源电网来说是不可或缺的部分。鉴于此,建立大规模的储能设施网络已成为优先事项,且每年都在增加。这些储能系统每个都独一无二,具有自己的配置方案和管理挑战。过去,每一个这样的储能设施都需要一个专门创建的管理系统,这是一个既费时又费钱的过程。需要一个可以在许多不同储能环境中均可适用的能源管理系统。FlexGen的HybridOS能源管理软件正是针对这一需求而创建的。从这个起点出发,FlexGen团队持续进行创新,以提高平台的实用性和性能,并适应储能运营商不断面临需求变化和新挑战。储能系统在现代的能源世界中越来越重要,因为它们能够以各种方式存储和管理能源。这些系统可用于存储来自风力、太阳能等可再生能源的能源,也可用于存储来自传统能源的能源。
Energy storage has become an essential part of today’s electrical grid. Since renewable energy production does not peak at the same time as energy demand, the storage of some of that excess energy for later use becomes an indispensable part of the clean energy grid of tomorrow, one that is growing closer to reality with every passing day. Given this necessity, the creation of a vast web of energy storage facilities has become a priority, with more coming online year over year. Each of these storage systems is unique, with its own configuration and set of challenges to manage. In the past, each of these facilities required a management system to be created specifically for that facility, a process that consumed both time and capital. An energy management system was needed that could be modified in many different storage contexts. FlexGen’s HybridOS energy management software was created in response to that need. From that starting point, the FlexGen team continuously innovates to improve the platform’s utility and performance, as well as to adapt to changing needs and new challenges that operators of energy storage face. Energy storage systems have become increasingly important in the modern world, as they are able to store and manage energy in a variety of ways. These systems can be used to store energy from renewable sources such as wind and solar, as well as from traditional sources.
适应性
Adaptability
能源管理系统(EMS)是一个软件和数字控制平台,可实现对电池储能系统(BESS)的监控和控制。传统上,每个BESS都会根据其特定配置和所使用的硬件类型创建一个定制的EMS。由于创建的系统针对性很强,因此最初的配置和硬件就此确定。FlexGen团队在创建HybridOS时面临的首要任务(和挑战)之一,就是需要一个不依赖于任何品牌或制造商的硬件的EMS。HybridOS的设计就是硬件无关的,这意味着它可以与设施运营商首选的任何类型的电池系统一起使用,而不必无限期依赖该制造商。
An Energy Management System (EMS) is a software and digital control platform that enables the monitoring and control of a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). Traditionally, a bespoke EMS was created for each BESS, based upon its specific configuration and the type of hardware that was being used. As a result of the narrowly focused system that was created, that initial configuration and hardware were locked in. One of the first priorities (and challenges) that the FlexGen team faced in creating HybridOS was the need for an EMS that was not dependent upon any brand or manufacturer of hardware. HybridOS was designed to be hardware agnostic, meaning that it can be used with whichever type of battery system the operators of the facility prefer without having to be dependent on that manufacturer indefinitely.
真正灵活的EMS还需要能够处理不同的配置。在电网层面,储能的主要功能之一是储存可再生能源生产高峰期(对光伏发电来说是下午)产生的额外功率载荷,并将其保留到能源需求最高时使用(通常是晚上)。一些系统纯粹用于这一目的,称为负载移位。针对其他储能设施适用的系统网络——有时地理位置分散,有时使用几种储能方式——需要相互协调以发挥其功能。还有一些可能是微电网(封闭电力系统)的一部分,其管理中存在独特的挑战。一些储能系统还有更广泛的用途;它们可能提供不同的电网辅助服务。为了真正实现硬件无关和灵活性,HybridOS被设计为可适应所有这些应用场景。FlexGen的方法和实施对能源效率和能源消耗将带来巨大利益并为公司和组织节省成本。
A truly flexible EMS needs to be able to handle different configurations as well. One of the primary functions of energy storage at the grid level is the storage of the excess power load produced during peak renewable energy production times (in the afternoon for solar power production) and preserving it for when the energy demand is the highest (usually in the evening). Some systems are used purely for that purpose, known as load shifting. Other systems are a network of storage facilities – sometimes separated geographically, sometimes utilizing several types of storage – that need to be coordinated with each other to serve their function. Still others may be part of a microgrid (an enclosed electrical system) that has its own unique challenges in management. And some energy storage systems are used for a wider range of purposes; they may offer different grid ancillary services. In order to be truly hardware agnostic and flexible, HybridOS was designed to be adaptable to all these use cases. FlexGen’s approach and implementation too energy efficiency and energy consumption will have mass benefits and save costs for companies and organizations.
创新实验室
The Innovation Lab
为促进HybridOS适应各种储能系统的过程,FlexGen创建了一个可调整以模拟客户设施配置的虚拟和物理环境,称为创新实验室。该实验室允许FlexGen团队预测BESS的需求、测试EMS并在调试过程开始之前对其进行故障排除。
To facilitate the process of adapting HybridOS to various energy storage systems, FlexGen created a virtual and physical environment that can be adjusted to mimic the configuration of a client’s facility, called the Innovation Lab. The Lab allows the FlexGen team to anticipate the needs of a BESS, test the EMS, and troubleshoot it before the commissioning process even begins.
因此,HybridOS在减少新站点投入运行所需的时间方面取得了长足的进步。根据ERCOT(德克萨斯州独立系统运营商)的数据,其合作设施的平均调试时间为60天;FlexGen的平均调试周期为14天。这可能额外增加一个半月的运行时间,从而使该设施的投资能更快见效。
As a result, HybridOS has made great strides in reducing the time it takes to get a new site up and operating. According to ERCOT (Texas’s independent service operator), the average commissioning time among the facilities they work with is 60 days; FlexGen’s average commissioning period is 14 days. That is potentially an extra month and a half of operating time, allowing the investment made in that facility to see a return that much faster.
同样,创新实验室测试HybridOS在特定环境下的工作方式的能力,可缩短升级时间。团队可以在实施前看到最新版本的软件在设施中的运行情况。因此,升级所需的停机时间可以大大缩短。例如,10MW系统可以在不到一天内完成升级。FlexGen团队还根据其个别用电模式和预测帮助客户选择停机时间的最佳窗口,进而增加生产力,为企业节省创造机会和技术。
Similarly, the Innovation Lab’s ability to test how HybridOS will work in a particular environment allows for the shortening of upgrade times. The team can see how the newest version of the software will work in a facility before putting it into effect. As a result, outage times required for an upgrade can be cut down dramatically. For example, a 10-megawatt system can be upgraded in less than a day. The FlexGen team also helps the client to choose the optimal window to take that outage time based upon its individual usage patterns and forecasting. Increasing productivity, creating opportunities and technology for business savings.
复杂问题简单化
Making Complexity Understandable
任何能源管理系统(EMS)的目的都是使这些复杂系统可解释和可管理。但是许多EMS在本应清晰的地方是模糊的,数据和系统运行状况的表示方式难以理解。有些需要由专门受训的人来编程功能。
The purpose of any Energy Management System (EMS) is to make these complex systems decipherable and manageable. But many EMSs are opaque where they should be clear, with difficult to understand presentations of data and system health. Some require functionality to be programmed by people specially trained to do so.
HybridOS持续发展的一个关键创新是高级用户界面(UI)。UI提供了对电力系统的全面可视化,允许用户实时监控系统性能、能源使用和电池本身的健康状况。简单易用的UI允许没有编程背景的人员控制系统操作。重要的数据点通过可理解的可视化方式(如图表和图形)轻松呈现。我们的目标是提供经理需要的信息、应用程序和流程,以及提供资源和解决方案。
A key innovation in the continuing development of HybridOS is the advanced user interface (UI). The UI provides a comprehensive visualization of the power system, allowing users to monitor system performance, energy usage, and the health of the batteries themselves in real time. An approachable UI allows personnel without a programming background to control the operations of the system. important data points are easily digestible, using understandable visualizations like charts and graphs. Our objectives are to provide the information, applications and the processes that meet the requirements managers need, as well as, providing the resources and solution.
通过高级数据分析,HybridOS提供有价值的见解,使用户能够对系统优化、维护和性能增强做出明智的决定。客户报告称,HybridOS的全面分析功能比通过其SCADA系统查看数据更有价值。
Through advanced data analytics, HybridOS offers valuable insights, empowering users to make informed decisions regarding system optimization, maintenance, and performance enhancements. Clients report that the comprehensive analytics capabilities of HybridOS have become more valuable than looking at data through their SCADA systems.
市场检验
Market Presence
HybridOS演变过程中的一个重要部分是其在全国日益增长的市场中进行检验。HybridOS现在可以在大多数市场上找到,尤其与ERCOT(德克萨斯州电力可靠性理事会)有着强大的联系。HybridOS可通过电池电厂的调度实体适应任何独立系统运营商(ISO)。但在ERCOT中,HybridOS能够直接与ISO的系统模型接口,允许将多样的电网辅助服务纳入其中,以扩大储能设施可用的收入来源。这种能力也已在CAISO(加利福尼亚州的ISO)中开发出来,HybridOS的持续发展将是将这种能力扩展到其他ISO。
An important part of the story of HybridOS’s evolution is its growing presence throughout the country. HybridOS can now be found in most markets, with an especially strong connection to ERCOT (Electric Reliability Council of Texas). HybridOS is adaptable to any Independent Service Operator (ISO), through the battery plant’s scheduling entity. But in ERCOT, HybridOS is able to interface directly with the ISO’s system model, allowing for the incorporation of stacked grid ancillary services to expand the revenue streams available to an energy storage facility. This capacity has also been developed for CAISO (California’s ISO), and HybridOS’s continued evolution will be to expand that capacity into other ISOs as well.
支持参与电力市场多种辅助服务
Supporting Stacked Ancillaries
电网辅助服务是除了发电、输电和储能之外,电网稳定性和可靠性所需的额外功能。HybridOS允许设施与其ISO协调提供一系列辅助服务,允许站点运营商最大限度地提高投资回报。储能站点可以提供的辅助服务取决于该设施的功能和当地能源市场的结构,包括:
Grid ancillary services are the additional functions required for the stability and reliability of the grid beyond the production, transmission, and storage of power. HybridOS allows facilities to coordinate with their ISO providing a range of ancillary services, allowing site operators to maximize the return on their investment. The ancillary services that an energy storage site can provide depends on the capabilities of the facility and the structure of the local energy market, including:
频率调节——储能系统可以快速注入或吸收功率来帮助调节电网频率。HybridOS允许它们在毫秒内响应频率偏差,提供快速准确的调节支持。
Frequency regulation – Energy storage systems can quickly inject or absorb power to help regulate grid frequency. HybridOS allows them to respond within milliseconds to frequency deviations, providing fast and accurate regulation support.
电压控制——储能系统可以通过注入或吸收无功功率来帮助调节电压水平。通过动态调整其输出,HybridOS使其能够稳定电压并支持电压控制功能。
Voltage control – Energy storage systems can help regulate voltage levels by injecting or absorbing reactive power. By dynamically adjusting their output, HybridOS enables them to stabilize voltage and support voltage control functions.
黑启功能——一些设施可以帮助电网在停电后重新启动。
Black start capability – Some facilities can help the grid restart in case of a blackout.
设施可以提供哪些辅助服务将取决于所涉及的硬件和配置以及当地ISO的政策。但这些辅助服务对于电网的功能和弹性至关重要,并且通常会相应进行补偿。当前的辅助服务市场估值约为80亿美元,预计到2031年将值得两倍以上。
Which ancillary services a facility can provide will vary depending on the hardware and configuration involved and the local ISO’s policies. But these ancillary services are essential to the function and resiliency of the grid, and they are often compensated accordingly. The current ancillary services market is estimated at $8 billion and is expected to be worth more than twice that by 2031.1
经过市场检验的领先性能
Proven Performance
创新带来成果。HybridOS现在已经成熟到在美国各个市场上证明其性能远高于行业标准的地步。全国收入最高的兆瓦设施运行HybridOS。该软件的响应速度比最严格的行业标准要快25,000倍。HybridOS在行业迄今为止最严峻的考验之一德克萨斯大停电期间也证明了自己,2021年获得99.7%的可用性。HybridOS的行动影响能源使用,其工具和操作超越公司部门,改善所有人的生活,正如新闻中看到的那样。
Innovation yields results. HybridOS has now matured to a point that it has demonstrated performance far above industry standards in markets across the U.S. The facilities with the highest revenue per megawatt in the country are run on HybridOS. The software can respond 25,000 times faster than even the strictest industry standards require. HybridOS also proved itself during one of the harshest tests of the industry yet, when it passed through the Texas freeze in 2021 with a 99.7% availability rate. HybridOS actions impact energy use, its tools and operation reach beyond the company sector and improve everyone’s lives as seen in the news.
持续创新
Continual Innovation
可再生能源的激增及支持它的储能设施使电力系统日益复杂。随着清洁能源转型的推进,这一趋势只会加速。需要持续创新来应对即将到来的挑战。一个可适应并可更新的系统会与时俱进,使储能运营商能够使其投资具有未来适应性。
The proliferation of renewable energy and the energy storage facilities that support it make for an increasingly complex electrical system. That trend is only going to accelerate as the clean energy transition progresses. Continual innovation will be needed to deal with the challenges that are coming. An adaptable and updateable system that continues to evolve with the times allows energy storage operators to future-proof their investment.
一些即将到来的创新是可以预见的。如前所述,在更多市场继续扩展和与更多ISO的接口能力是HybridOS的可预见发展。最近在用户界面方面取得的巨大飞跃也将继续发展和改善用户体验。正在开发的数字孪生能力也将提供更大的监控、诊断和故障排除功能。
Some of the coming innovations can be anticipated. As mentioned, the continued expansion into more markets and interfacing capability with more ISOs are a foreseeable evolution in HybridOS. The recent giant leap forward in UI will continue to evolve and improve the user experience. A digital twin capacity that will provide even greater monitoring, diagnostics, and troubleshooting capabilities is also in development.
有些变化是无法预见的。世界从未经历过目前这样的能源转型。如果要最大限度减少气候变化的影响,电池储能系统就是必需的,但围绕这些设施的世界和市场将以不可预测的方式发生变化。HybridOS已经发展到满足客户的需求,并将继续这样做。持续创新将使FlexGen和HybridOS能够支持发电行业应对未来的挑战。
Some of the changes ahead cannot be anticipated. The world has never experienced the type of energy transition it is currently undergoing. The need for battery energy storage systems is a certainty if the world is to minimize the effects of climate change, but the world – and the market – will change around those facilities in unforeseeable ways. HybridOS has evolved to meet the needs of its clients and will continue to do so. ongoing innovation will allow FlexGen and HybridOS to support energy generation as it responds to the challenges ahead.
