Electricity and Control February 2024

ENERGY MANAGEMENT + THE INDUSTRIAL ENVIRONMENT : PRODUCTS + SERVICES

New BESS provides energy resilience in critical applications

Vertiv, a global provider of critical digital infrastructure and continuity solutions, has introduced the Vertiv™ DynaFlex BESS, a battery energy storage system designed to enable energy independence and bolster sustainability efforts at mission critical facilities. Launched into the North American and EMEA markets, the Vertiv DynaFlex BESS provides for flexibility in the use of utility power and is another step in establishing a dynamic power architecture. The system allows organisations to leverage the capabilities of hybrid power systems that may include solar, wind, hydrogen fuel cells, and/or other forms of alternative energy. The lithium-ion batteries in the new BESS provide long duration support for utility-scale energy, allowing seam less and repeated transitions between energy sources. When paired with the optional Vertiv DynaFlex EMS (en ergy management system), the Vertiv DynaFlex BESS enables advanced energy management strategies, such as demand management and sharing or selling energy back to the grid, which can result in reduced utility ener gy consumption and costs and potentially generate rev enue for the parties involved. According to Omdia’s Market Landscape: Battery Energy Storage Systems report, “Enabling the battery ESS to interact with the smart electric grid is an innovative way of contributing to the grid through the balance of energy supply and demand, the integration of renewable energy resources into the power equation, the reduction or deferral of grid infrastructure investment, and the creation of new revenue streams for stakeholders.” Peter Panfil, Vice President, Global Power, at Vertiv said, “Sustainability has become a core tenet of many organisations’ growth plans but concerns about operational resilience and growing stress on the grid have limited efforts to adopt alternative energy sources. The Vertiv DynaFlex BESS opens the full energy management toolbox. It allows organisations to leverage the strengths of these new energy generation assets and shifts the traditional utility provider to a complementary role in a more dynamic, efficient, and reliable mix of energy sources.”

Wojtek Piorko, Managing Director, Africa at Vertiv said, “It is becoming increasingly important for mission-critical facilities around the globe to find reliable sources of energy that can handle significant events or fuel access restrictions, and even more so in Africa, where

Wojtek Piorko, Managing Director, Africa at Vertiv.

many countries are experiencing serious grid constraints. The African Legal Support Facility in partnership with the Commercial Law Development Programme and Power Africa, note the implementation of battery energy storage systems (BESS) in their Understanding Energy Storage handbook, as an alternative to traditional power solutions, saying that ’energy storage is a powerful tool that can change the pathways to power that sector decision-makers can pursue’. It also refers to BESS as potentially being used as a mitigation measure to unlock grid capacity.” The Vertiv DynaFlex BESS is designed specifically for mission-critical environments, such as commercial industrial facilities, high-value manufacturing plants, data centres, and other facilities where power plays a critical role. The system’s power conversion system (PCS) is designed to support 2 millisecond output, virtually eliminating any delays in shifting the load between hybrid power sources. Coupled with an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system, the reliable, efficient Vertiv DynaFlex BESS reduces the risk of data centre outages and delayed diesel generator starts. The UL9540A-tested lithium-ion batteries in the BESS are designed to minimise fire risks, are free-standing with a small footprint, and are designed for modularity. □

Continued from page 14

high demand, the market can benefit from working with local manufacturers offering a range of services to deliv er value and efficiency. “ACTOM offers the full scope of Engineering, Pro curement and Construction skills and services for plant installation, and beyond that, the operation and mainte nance of the plant. We can manufacture all the required products and support the plant through its full life cycle, assisting customers to obtain optimised plant perfor mance,” Naidoo says.

The Vertiv DynaFlex BESS is designed for mission-critical environments, such as commercial industrial facilities, high value manufacturing plants, data centres, and similar.

For more information visit: www.actom.co.za

FEBRUARY 2024 Electricity + Control

15