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Description
FuseBox OÜ is an Estonian company integrating consumers and energy systems to enable better integration of renewables. Project partner Pixii AS is a Norwegian company that designs and manufactures smart energy storage solutions that contribute to clean, cost-effective and reliable electricity. The aim of the bilateral partnership project is to develop, and test services and products related to energy storage and demand side flexibility, also to reduce whole energy sector carbon intensity while increasing the efficiency of energy system. This is achieved by combining demand response and energy storage to enable next-generation energy infrastructure instead of investing into existing infrastructure which was built to support centralised electricity generation. The project enables real-time communication between electricity consumers, energy storage and energy system to maximise the use of renewables and solve the issues related to variable generation.
Green ICT projects helps to combine FuseBox and Pixii knowledge, the result of which after the project final stage is to have the appropriate hardware and software combination to operate energy storage systems for various grid frequency services. FuseBox tasks are more connected with software development for the aggregation and optimisation of distributed flexibility resources, whereas Pixii develops the hardware and software for energy storage-based energy storage systems and local control. They will coordinate the development of the communication and control integration between the FuseBox virtual power plant platform and the Pixii energy storage controllers.
Summary of project results
The challenge of this project was to combine demand-side flexibility (demand response) with energy storage systems (modular batteries) into a hybrid solution. While existing infrastructure is built to support centralised electricity generation, combining Fusebox’s competence in demand response with Pixii’s energy storage expertise enabled to show-case next-generation energy infrastructure. The solution uses real-time communication between electricity consumers, energy storage, and energy systems to maximise the use of renewables. It also helps to solve issues related to variable generation, by implementing ML models, historical data analysis, multi-goal configuration capabilities, autonomous operations and optimisation.
At first, the battery asset suitable location mapping was carried out. During first phases of the project, energy storage units were installed in multiple locations in different countries, also differentiating on the client use-case. Operational capability and connectivity between energy storage units, Fusebox Virtual Power Plant and TSO ancillary platform was developed, established and field testing was finalised. During the first stage Fusebox mapped 3 potential energy storage locations. Two battery energy storage units were built in Estonia and one in Finland.
The project focus was then set on market integration and piloting. New products and ancillary services, such as frequency and voltage control (local) in the electricity grid were piloted. Pixii energy storage systems and Fusebox virtual power plant platform functions were tested according to the local market rules and technical requirements. Additional functions were developed on the Fusebox platform and were tested together with Pixii energy storage system. Fusebox tested Pixii energy storage systems in Finland and Estonia.
Based on measuring and trading data, new complex functionalities were developed. The initial aim was to maximize the utilization of EV-s and renewables in combination with energy storage systems. During the project, it was concluded that EV inclusion into the business model will be left to the future business initiatives. Still, demonstrations were made to understand the challenges of integrating EV infrastructure with its proprietary protocols and specific requirements into the overall flexibility portfolio. Understanding was gained what kind of partnership ecosystem is needed to provide functional service to EV owners, keeping the vehicle charged and providing grid supporting services while not used for driving. EV power requirement boos was implemented into Pixii controller system.
Following new functionality was developed on Fusebox platform: spot price-based consumption peak shaving and load shifting, grid congestion, views for portal operator and asset owner, battery calibration, spot price-based battery arbitrage automatics. In addition, local optimisation functions were developed that can be run and controlled on local level automatics. These functions are maximising PV power (local production) usage for own consumption, quantity-based peak shaving, Time-of-Usage calendar functionality and others. Being able to schedule and run some of the services on local level gives the solution faster response time for some regulation needs and resilience to communication outages with Fusebox cloud platform.
Project was finalised with standardisation and optimisation of developed functions, as well as new developments that were mapped when gaining new experience. Lessons learned and bug-fixes were implemented. Data gathering, analysis and future optimisation descriptions were written, setting up the solution to be more future-proof and in-line with clients’ needs. Both, Pixii and Fusebox are able to provide several new services and products to different markets, that are following the market regulations and client use-cases.
Fusebox and Pixii have developed easy-to-integrate and capable system that can be applied to Nordic and Baltic countries, being able to participate even on the fastest, strictest and most challenging services. Both, Pixii and Fusebox systems have been developed in a way that also support 3rd-party cooperations. This means that for Pixii it is possible also to integrate to other VPP-s, only needing some platform-specific further developments (communication protocol etc.). Similarly, Fusebox has developed a solution that can be used to integrate other battery providers.
Valuable knowledge was gained about battery integration challenges and steps in VPP integration achievement, regulation capabilities and possible values that can be produced from optimizing battery asset together with other elements like consumption, PV and grid connection points. Both companies have drastically enhanced their respective systems’ capabilities to provide value to the asset owner, Balancing Service Provider and themselves, in parallel raising attractiveness of investing into battery storage systems.
Summary of bilateral results
The partnership can be considered a success, Pixii carried out the planned activities, in addition, mutual cooperation continued through supporting the daily operation of controlled batteries, consulting on new objects and joint development of customer relations.