Narrogin BESS project will be a collection of battery modules commonly based on lithium-ion technology, as seen in common household items such as smartphones and laptop batteries. Battery modules contain individual low-voltage battery cells arranged in racks within enclosures creating the Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). The battery cells store electrical energy in the form of chemical energy and are connected to achieve the desired power and capacity. Like a typical battery that needs charging and then followed by discharging for power consumption, BESS also needs to charge its energy from the grid, typically during peak production such as at mid-day when there is plenty of solar energy entering the grid. When the demand for electricity rises, BESS will discharge its stored energy and export the electricity back to the grid. A typical BESS system will consist of:
  • Battery containers: which house the battery racks, as well as other system components such as battery management system (BMS), cooling system, and fire suppression system.
  • Power conversion system (PCS): which are electrical conversion units that convert between DC and AC electricity between the battery (DC) and the grid (AC).
  • Transformer station: convert high voltage on the grid to the medium voltage for the PCS.