Illustration of energy storage power supply capacity test method

What is energy storage performance testing?

Performance testing is a critical component of safe and reliable deployment of energy storage systems on the electric power grid. Specific performance tests can be applied to individual battery cells or to integrated energy storage systems.

What is battery capacity testing?

Capacity testing is performed to understand how much charge / energy a battery can store and how efficient it is. In energy storage applications, it is often just as important how much energy a battery can absorb, hence we measure both charge and discharge capacities.

Can FEMP assess battery energy storage system performance?

This report describes development of an effort to assess Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) performance that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) and others can employ to evaluate performance of deployed BESS or solar photovoltaic (PV) +BESS systems.

Where can I find performance and testing protocols for stationary energy storage systems?

The United States has several sources for performance and testing protocols on stationary energy storage systems. This research focuses on the protocols established by National Labs (Sandia National Laboratories and PNNL being two key labs in this area) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

Can a stationary energy storage system adapt to other energy storage systems?

In regions where there is an absence of extensive or relevant protocols for stationary energy storage systems, there may be the ability to adapt or expand on protocols for other energy storage systems that are available.

How is energy storage capacity calculated?

The energy storage capacity, E, is calculated using the efficiency calculated above to represent energy losses in the BESS itself. This is an approximation since actual battery efficiency will depend on operating parameters such as charge/discharge rate (Amps) and temperature.