Located in El Centro, California, the Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) complements the integration of renewable resources, such as solar and wind, by adding stability and improving power quality. This cutting-edge technology provides operational support across the balancing authority provides grid flexibility and increases reliability to the IID network by facilitating solar integration, frequency regulation, and power balancing. The BESS project was completed in nine months and began commercial operation on October 1, 2016.
Today, the BESS is controlled by IID’s System Operators System Operation Center. IID’s System Operators instruct, via IID’s energy management system (EMS), to charge or discharge when the electricity demand-supply balance falls outside of thresholds. When there is excess supply on IID’s grid, System Operators call on the BESS to charge, absorbing electricity from IID’s grid. When there is a supply shortfall on IID’s grid, System Operators call on the BESS to discharge energy, injecting electricity onto IID’s grid. The interaction between IID’s System Operators and the BESS is performed automatically on a second-to-second basis through IID’s EMS and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system that constantly monitors the state of IID’s grid and directly controls the BESS through a secure communications network. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of this project is its ability to provide a quick response via its state-of-the-art hot standby controller and the ability to provide a black start capability. This means that the BESS can start the 160 MW El Centro plant in the event of a total blackout. Project Location: El Centro, California Project Type: Energy Storage (Battery) Capacity: 33 MVA ZG Service: Consult – Power Engineering, Design – Infrastructure Development and Operate – O&M Services
This project was a build, own and BESS utilizing Li-ion batteries. ZGlobal provided owner’s engineering, electric engineering design, and project management for the BESS and the 92kV substation. In addition, ZGlobal performed unit and integrated testing of the BESS and the IID EMS. The 33 MVA BESS was constructed in Imperial County, about 100 miles east of San Diego, CA. The BESS went online in November 2016 with a special Black Start feature. Black Start is the process of restoring an electric power station, or a part of an electric grid, to operation without relying on the external transmission network. ZGlobal currently provides operation and maintenance services for this BESS project.