Webinar Recording: Effective Integration of Hybrid Solar & Storage Plants

In this information-packed webinar, our Operational Technology team shares their extensive experience and practical insights on effectively integrating utility-scale solar PV with battery energy storage systems (BESS) to create high-performing hybrid power plants.

Through real-world project examples and in-depth technical discussions, we demonstrate how a well-designed plant control system can optimize the operation of solar+storage hybrids to provide essential grid reliability services, firm capacity, and renewable energy time-shifting while navigating the complexities of market participation models and grid interconnection requirements.

We also highlighted best practices for control system architecture, component integration, and model-based design that reduce project risks and maximize asset owner returns over the plant lifecycle.

Key Takeaways:

1. Hybrid solar+storage plants can provide a full suite of grid services that conventional generators do, such as voltage regulation, active power control, frequency response, spinning reserve, and automatic generation control (AGC). Combining the capabilities of PV and BESS allows hybrids to deliver clean, firm, and flexible capacity.
2. The plant control system, featuring a fast-acting power plant controller (PPC), is critical for coordinating the PV and BESS to meet grid operator performance requirements at the point of interconnection (POI) while optimizing energy capture, time-shifting, and revenue stacking. Key integration points include the PV controller, BESS energy management system (EMS), and battery management system (BMS).
3. Hybrid plants can participate in markets as either co-located resources with separate dispatch instructions for PV and BESS or as a single hybrid resource with an aggregated dispatch. The PPC must handle both scenarios and the transitions between them. Accurate short-term solar forecasting enables optimal dispatch strategies.
4. DC-coupled solar+storage configurations can reduce costs but require careful design and control to manage the shared interconnection capacity and DC-DC converters for the batteries. AC-coupled designs offer more flexibility but may have higher equipment costs. Upfront system modeling and simulation de-risk the integration.
5. The BESS EMS is vital for managing battery state of charge (SOC), health, and safety while executing energy and power commands from the PPC. Intelligent EMS algorithms can minimize battery cycling, balance charge across multiple containers, and extend asset life. Remote monitoring and diagnostics enable condition-based maintenance.
6. Scalable and secure SCADA platforms based on open standards facilitate efficient plant operations, grid compliance reporting, and performance analysis. Role-based access control and cybersecurity measures are essential for protecting the critical infrastructure.
7. With 5+ GWh of hybrid solar+storage projects worldwide and a highly experienced team from leading renewable energy firms, we have pioneered advanced control solutions that maximize plant performance, reliability, and profitability. Our model-based design process and hardware-in-the-loop testing capabilities accelerate project timelines.