Battery Energy

Storage Systems in
Power Plants
A promising combination
Battery Energy Storage Systems in power plants - Unrestricted Information

Battery Energy Storage Systems Content

in power plants ‒ an overview on
applications Adapt your plant to a changing energy system

Value Performance improvement

01 Introduction
Page 04

Operational flexibility • aFRR (automatic Frequency Restoration

02
Reserve)
Benefits of BESS in power plants
• mFRR (manual Frequency Restoration
Reserve) Page 06
• Intraday and day ahead arbitrage

03
• Higher startup- and load gradients Two major BESS technologies: Li-ion and
• Lower minimum environmental load Redox Flow
• Black start capability Page 10

Carbon footprint • Combination with battery storage allows

Combined Cycle Power Plants (CCPP)
operation in load ranges with higher
04 Comparison of the two technologies
Page 11

efficiency

Power output Additional battery capacity allows for:

• Participation in capacity markets and bal-

05 Commercial consideration
Page 12

ancing mechanism

06
• Reserve margin reduction
The concept of brownfield transformation
• Peak power applications
Page 13

2 3
Battery Energy Storage Systems in power plants - Unrestricted Information

01
The importance of grid scale battery
storage is growing – the need for grid
stability services increases with the
share of renewable power.
Over the last years, prices for renewable energy have experienced a significant
decrease, and its contribution to power production is steadily increasing.
As the production of renewable energy depends on the availability of sun
and wind, power systems need to adapt and fill the gap between supply of
renewable energy and power demand. Consequently, these systems may
undergo drastic changes.

Traditional power plants have the chance to play an important role if they can
supply flexible “power on demand” as well as grid stability services. But other
technologies are also evolving. Grid scale Battery Energy Storage System
(BESS) may be one of the more important ones.

According to the International Energy Agency, annual additions increased

nearly ten times between 2016 and 2021. But this may only be the beginning.
According to IHS Markit the installed grid scale BESS will grow from approxi-
mately 60GW in 2024 to up to approximately 400GW in 2034.

Figure 1: Expected development of worldwide BESS capacity acc. to IHS green rules scenario.

4
Battery Energy Storage Systems in power plants - Unrestricted Information

02 Benefits of BESS in power plants

Overview of the main advantages
Battery Energy Storage Systems can be located At Siemens Energy, we believe that the latter
at various points within the energy system, such location has not yet received the attention it de-
as the transmission or distribution network, near serves. Adding BESS to a power plant can provide
the load, in the vicinity of wind or solar farms, or multiple advantages, both in terms of revenue
within thermal power plants. generation and cost reduction.

Revenue
Revenue CAPEX OPEX

The provision of ancillary services such as the to the grid. If an integrated BESS can provide
Frequency Containment Reserve (FCR), the auto- this reserve, the power plant can operate at
matic Frequency Restoration Reserve (aFRR) or maximum power output and sell more power
the manual Frequency Restoration Reserve (mRR) to the market at higher efficiency (max power
From ancillary services and bet- Lower investment costs due to Reduced fuel costs resulting are amongst the main drivers for investment in = design point).
ter position in merit order joint use of equipment already from improved average BESS.
installed in power plant and the efficiency Flexibility is key in regions with high
existing grid connection
Power plants can also provide these services shares of intermittent renewable energy.
and are sometimes in competition with BESS.
However, a solution that combines both tech- BESS allows for steeper load gradients, improv-
nologies in a smart way may be able to provide ing the position in the merit order for ancillary
the best relationship between offered service services. If demand falls below the Minimum
parameters like reaction time, power range, Environmental Load (MEL) of the power plant
and service duration and cost. it can also absorb and store the excess power.
Further, it can be used to shorten the time to
Plant flexibility may be further improved by up- grid synchronization for all types of conven-
grading the generator to a Rotating Grid Stabilizer tional power plants, from traditional steam
(RGS). With this feature it is possible to provide plants to gas turbine peaking units.
Synchronous Inertial Response (SIR), short circuit
power and reactive power, even at times when
the turbines are not operating.

Such configuration, extended by an integrated

BESS may further improve the chances to win
auctions for ancillary services.

In certain markets power plants are required to

operate at a certain percentage below maximum
Figure 2: Improvement of flexibility of a CCPP with BESS power output and to maintain a capacity reserve Figure 3: Rotating Grid Stabilizer with Flywheel

6 7
 There is always a solution
available ‒ we help you
to find the right one.

CAPEX OPEX

A significant portion of the investment costs of diesel engines required for black start capabili- Most power plants achieve their highest effi- to provide ancillary services during times of low
a battery storage system is required for grid con- ties. Further, additional permitting at an existing ciency when operating close to maximum power power demand and at power prices lower than
nection, transformers, high voltage switch gears power plant location may not be necessary. output. the variable cost of the plant.
and their controls. These components are already If permits are necessary, they may be easier to
available in power plants and may be shared. obtain as local stakeholders are already used to By charging the integrated BESS in times of The plant may then operate at low load to mini-
power generation facilities. lower demand, power plants can be operated mize its losses. In such case an integrated BESS
Thus, the investment cost of BESS in a power longer in this power range. As a consequence, may allow to shut down the power plant and to
plant may be significantly lower than at other their average specific fuel consumption may be provide ancillary services with the BESS (cold
locations. BESS also have the potential to replace lower. Some power plants may even be required frequency response).

Possible synergies with power plant

Power output [MW]

BESS

Transformer Power control center

incl. MV & LV switchgear,
Load level required
Busduct for ancillary services
LV transformer & distribution
connection
or
Battery including Instrumentation & Controls High voltage
• Battery Inverter & Automation Server (AS) system grid connection
• Battery management Controls Centralized I/O cabinets (ET-200) located in PCC
system PROFINET field bus network to BESS group controller Power plant
Main server rack, control software

Figure 4: Frequency restoration reserve with BESS and power plant

Time [h]

8 BESS Core BESS Balance of Plant (BoP) 9

Battery Energy Storage Systems in power plants - Unrestricted Information

03 Two major BESS technologies: 04 Comparison of the technologies

Li-ion and Redox Flow Different solutions with different strengths

Brief overview on the principles Main advantages of Li-ion batteries are a high
energy density, high roundtrip efficiency and
configuration of stacks, while the total energy
capacity is dictated by the volume of electrolyte
short reaction times. stored in the tanks.

Li-ion batteries Reduction and oxidation The main characteristics of RFBs include their Compared to Li-ion technology, RFBs have a

Li-ion batteries are extensively used in

(Redox) flow batteries long lifespan, minimal degradation, the ability to significantly lower energy density. Its effect on
handle up to 150% overpowering (albeit with re- the actual plant size can be limited because the
consumer electronics and electric vehicles, Redox Flow Batteries (RFB) are composed of duced roundtrip efficiency), and the flexibility to safety related distance between the single
making them the most popular technology two differently charged liquid electrolyte solu- extend storage duration simply by increasing the battery blocks is not necessary and plant layouts
for Battery Energy Storage Systems. tions and an electrochemical cell (also called amount of electrolyte and adjusting tank sizes. with multiple floors or larger tasks may also be
stacks), consisting of two compartments for The sytsem‘s power is determined by the size and possible.
Li-ion batteries consist of a cathode made the respective electrolytes and the electrodes.
from a lithium transition metal oxide, an These compartments are separated by
anode typically composed of graphite, and a a membrane.
lithium salt-based electrolyte often in a poly- Technology selection for battery storage depends on the use
mer matrix. The energy in Li-ion batteries is During charging, the energy is stored in the
stored within the battery cell itself.
case as requirements differ significantly
electrolytes, which are then pumped into
tanks outside of the electrochemical cell.
Performance characteristics such as energy For discharging, the electrolytes are pumped
density and depth of discharge can be influ- back into the electrochemical cell, where they
enced by the choice of cathode material. transfer the energy back to the electrodes.

The most common cathode material for

stationary BESS applications is Lithium Iron
Phosphate (LiFePO4). This type of battery is
often referred to as an „Energy Cell“.

Depending on the required performance

parameters, it may also be appropriate to use
a Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt (LiNMC)
oxide cathode, which is also referred to as a
“Power Cell”.

Figure 5: Reduction and oxidation flow batteries Figure 6: Comparison of Li-ion and Redox Flow Battery, orientation values only, actual values may differ substantially depending on use case

10 11
Battery Energy Storage Systems in power plants - Unrestricted Information

05 Commercial consideration 06 The concept of brownfield

The choice depends on the use case transformation
The viability of the different technologies
for commercial use is impacted by pro-
We meet you at your starting point
ject-specific factors such as compensation
structure, storage capacity and duration, the
number of cycles and more. Based on these Our brownfield transformation approach is a holistic methodology
factors either RFB or Li-ion batteries may of- to help with the stepwise decarbonization of existing power plants
fer a lower Levelized Cost of Storage (LCoS).
while maintaining most of the existing infrastructure. One potential
Generally, RFBs tend to become more ap- step may be the addition of a BESS.
pealing as the required storage duration
increases, the battery size expands, and the A possible long term perspective may be to turn these power plants
number of cycles grows. As the amount of
excess power from renewable energy sources into decarbonized power hubs, combining BESS with Rotating Grid
increases, Redox Flow Batteries become more Stabilizers and hydrogen fired gas turbines.
viable due to their ability to discharge over
long periods of time.

Figure 7: Storage solutions BESS-Standalone

12 13
Battery Energy Storage Systems in power plants - Unrestricted Information

Our offering
We start where you are
Project initiation & design

Our experienced grid consulting team evaluates the

regulatory landscape and market dynamics, conducting
grid studies and analytics based on specific project
requirements.

Concept development: Identifying & specifying power

plant modifications for optimal integration of BESS into
your asset‘s operation, ensuring smooth system-grid
functioning.

Assessment of technology, size and connection.

Stability studies and devise voltage control concepts

to ensure system reliability.
Why Siemens Energy?
Joint optimization of business case and business model.
Expertise you can rely on
Project execution
Siemens Energy offers products, solutions, and services across the
entire energy value chain. We support our customers on their way
Project specific engagement extending to a full turnkey of
to a more sustainable future – no matter how far along the journey
a Li-ion storage system, or close cooperation with one
they are.
of the leading technologists in the field of RFBs.

Our experienced service team is ready to assist you in deciding

With OEM knowledge for new applications and service,
which solution is the right one for you. With our experts in engi-
as well as SCADA expertise, we can fully integrate and
neering, manufacturing and/or field service in close collaboration,
comission a BESS into your existing conventional power
we can offer optimum service solutions for your power plant to
plant. This will optimize and maximize the value from
match your specific demands.
both assets.

Please do not hesitate to contact your local Siemens Energy

Project operation representative in order to help you find the right customized and
project specific BESS solution.
Continuous monitoring and comprehensive diagnostics
to maintain battery health. Visit our Customer Energy Portal cep.siemens-energy.com or our
webpage siemens-energy.com.
Customized service concepts to suit your needs,
extending up to a full Operation and Maintenance (O&M) For detailed information on BESS please visit our webpage
contract. siemens-energy.com/bess.

14 15
Published by

Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG

Otto-Hahn-Ring 6
81739 München, Germany

For the US published by

Siemens Energy, Inc.

4400 N Alafaya Trail
Orlando, FL 32826, USA

For more information, please visit our website:

siemens-energy.com

Document No. CB3-24-0046-BP-EN-01

© Siemens Energy, 2024

Siemens Energy is a trademark licensed by Siemens AG.

Subject to changes and errors. The information given in this document only contains
general descriptions and/or performance features which may not always specifically reflect
those described, or which may undergo modification in the course of further development
of the products. The requested performance features are binding only when they are
expressly agreed upon in the concluded contract. All product designations may be
trademarks or product names of Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG or other
companies whose use by third parties for their own purposes could violate the rights of
the owners.