News

Shutterstock/Dazhi Image

‍

However, there are not many large-scale grid-side energy storage systems in Taiwan. Few business operators or managers have actually seen energy storage systems, but they always ask energy storage companies to provide quotations. What kind of quotations should they give?

‍

In the previous article , we talked about the strange phenomenon that the financial media went crazy about energy storage star industries and investors went crazy about energy storage concept stocks. In fact, not only these people, but also a lot of companies have been inquiring about the price of energy storage systems recently. (kWh) how much?" has become a greeting in the industry.

‍

This is because there is a buy signal in the market. On the one hand, there is the carrot of business opportunities for power ancillary services, and on the other hand, there is the stick of "large electricity user clause" to choose one of the four, so everyone jumped up. However, there are not many large-scale grid-side energy storage systems in Taiwan. Few business operators or managers have actually seen energy storage systems, but they always ask energy storage companies to provide quotations. You don’t even know what quotations to give. If you don’t understand the requirements and specifications, and pretend to understand if you don’t understand, everyone has to accompany you to make noises. This will not help the market at all, and you and your boss will not be convinced. Even if energy storage is a good thing, you can’t see it. come out.

‍

Therefore, I plan to share my successful experience, and take three minutes to show you how to buy an energy storage system or service, so that you can make a correct assessment, successfully convince your boss, and even have the opportunity to become a big hit in the company.

‍

Step 1: Select the "right person" for evaluation, and conduct cross-departmental communication in the company first

‍

Almost all companies have no experience in evaluating energy storage systems, so the first question companies encounter is "Who should be responsible for this matter?" Many companies will hand over the responsibility to energy managers or factory affairs, and it seems that the responsibility is the most match. However, everyone who works in the company knows that the company supports all kinds of people, some people are very active, some people are very passive, find a positive person to be the person in charge, he will find a way; find a passive person to be the person in charge, he will find a way Find a reason, the success or failure of things is not only destined by heaven, but also whether you have found the "right person".

‍

The person in charge must have the ability to communicate and coordinate. It is best to conduct cross-departmental communication in the company at the beginning, because the energy storage system is a complex system, including electromechanical, equipment, production or business, construction, fire protection, insurance, etc., and even Little things that you might find boring like space, floor load capacity, length of guy wires, how to parallel power, etc. can cause discord within the company. Ideally, the person in charge also needs mechanical and electrical skills and financial evaluation skills, so that he can quickly judge the key points.

‍

Step 2: Take a moment to take stock of your equipment needs and land use, and don’t rush to find energy storage companies for quotations

‍

Many large electricity consumers are used to being tricked by international brands, and they do the same to their own suppliers. Some large electricity consumers who are originally Apple suppliers think that energy storage is an enlarged version of mobile phone batteries. It will work if you go up there!"

‍

A large energy storage system is not an enlarged version of a small battery, and a large energy storage system must not be assembled with the idea of ​​a small battery. Provides you with five assessment priorities:

1. Start planning from the company's long-term development goals. First of all, it is necessary to evaluate the configuration space in the factory. After installing the energy storage system, whether it will affect the production line or the originally planned moving line; further evaluate if the production line is increased in the future, whether it will lead to excessive electricity consumption. The energy storage system is It is a powerful tool to improve the stability of power consumption in the factory area, and it can also be said to be a luxurious uninterruptible power system. In addition, if the electromechanical system in the factory area is old, it can also be evaluated before the construction of the energy storage system. Replacement of old equipment with new equipment is more energy-saving and can create double value.
   
2. Pay attention to the brand and origin of the energy storage equipment. If it is a product from a large international manufacturer or a well-known domestic company, it should be of high quality, but it does not necessarily mean that the product of a small factory is not good. If you cannot evaluate the quality of the specifications, it is recommended to choose a large manufacturer for peace of mind.
   
3. Make sure that the energy storage device has obtained the relevant certification. After all, such a large number of batteries are placed in your factory, and there is always an extra layer of protection with battery safety certification and grid-connected regulation certification for power regulators.
   
4. Negotiate the warranty period and maintenance operation plan once. Including whether there are spare parts and parts in Taiwan. If you want to entrust operation and management, please remember that in addition to negotiating the cost, you must also meet relevant regulations such as information security at the installation location. At the same time, remember not to let your energy storage system become an orphan in the future. The initial purchase cost and the subsequent maintenance and operation cost are also important expenses that must not be saved.
   
5. Pay attention to the scale, experience, reputation and technical capabilities of the energy storage system integrator. Including the company's capital, number of employees, whether there are completed project sites for you to visit, or willing to share information about other completed project sites, you can indirectly understand the company's creditworthiness without rushing to find energy storage companies for quotations or even bargaining , You get what you pay for, no one will take the budget of Tata Motors in India and expect to drive a Ferrari, if someone is willing to sell you, then you have to be careful what you get may only be a Ferrari car. Everyone knows that buying a car depends on the needs of each person. Some people value safety, some value brand, some value appearance, some value sense of dignity, and some even value environmental protection. Is it different when considering energy storage systems?

‍

Step 3: Prepare a Financial Evaluation Form and Tell Your Boss a Good Story

‍

Every company needs a financial evaluation process to convince the boss to invest. Generally speaking, the boss is not very patient, and it is best to pay back the capital within three years for any investment. We have said in previous articles that energy storage must follow the optimal development strategy of "slash youth" in order to create as many service cash flows as possible, but if you are not in the energy storage industry, it may not be easy to know how to use energy storage combat power.

‍

People in our industry have thought of this issue for you. Recently, we have collaborated on a set of standard financial evaluation forms, which can be used as your evaluation aids. You can write to Green College to obtain this resource at a very low cost .

‍

After you have the financial evaluation form, you need to prepare a good story for the boss to pay for, and provide you with five key points of "Stories of Slash Youth":

1. Because most companies have already installed solar energy on their roofs, in order to meet the capacity requirements of choosing one of the four, it is necessary to mix and match a part of solar energy and a part of energy storage. Taking the demand of 1MW as a comparison, the solar energy construction space needs an area of ​​one hectare, and the energy storage system only needs a space about the size of a container, and the energy storage system is placed in a flat space, and there is no solar energy to build it. There is a risk of the roof leaking afterwards.
   
2. If your factory load exceeds the contracted capacity for a special period of time, energy storage may be the most suitable solution to curb overcontracting and reduce penalties for overcontracting.
   
3. If the electromechanical system in the factory area is old, it can also be evaluated before the energy storage is installed. The equipment replaced by the old one will be more energy-saving and create double value.
   
4. The most recent news is that Texas, USA, was affected by a blizzard, causing major power outages in many areas. Disasters caused by extreme weather are unpredictable and unavoidable. Therefore, buying an energy storage system is like buying insurance. It can be used to directly participate in demand bidding, so why not.
   
5. If you don’t want to pay the initial construction cost of the energy storage system immediately, there are already companies in the industry that provide energy storage leasing services, which is also a circular economy business model

‍

If you don't fully understand the "story" above, you can join the mutual aid association of large electricity users to understand more skills on how to use energy storage capabilities, and meet more energy storage operators and even green electricity retailers in industry gatherings Meet, I wish you success soon.

‍

The author of this article, Chen Yiping, specializes in power systems and micro-grid systems. The best years of life are in their prime. When the first wave of commercial application of energy storage systems exploded, he participated in the construction of Taiwan’s first large-scale grid-level energy storage system (Kaohsiung Yong’an case) ), another project, Pingtung Linbian Smart Micro-grid, won the 2015 APEC ESCI Smart Grid Silver Award, and the development project expanded to the Philippines and Indonesia. He is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering of Datong University and a green leader of the Green College.

‍

The original text was published in Green College , INSIDE reproduced with authorization.

‍

Editor in charge: Mia
Draft editor: MindyLi

‍