New Breed of Modeling Tools From DNV KEMA Tackle Toughest Energy Storage Questions for Utilities, Commissions

BURLINGTON, MA--(Marketwired - Aug 20, 2013) -  DNV KEMA Energy & Sustainability has debuted a new strategic tool, ES-GRID, to quantify the value of distributed energy storage on distribution systems. With the addition of ES-GRID to the DNV KEMA suite of solutions -- which already includes ES-Select, KERMIT, and Microgrid Optimizer -- a new breed of tools has emerged capable of evaluating energy storage with notably comprehensive detail and accuracy.

ES-GRID was developed to serve needs like those of the current California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) effort, which seeks to establish reliable and detailed economics for energy storage technologies that can support the clean, distributed energy power grid of the future. The State of California is driving some of the most innovative energy storage efforts in the nation and ES-GRID was purpose-built to close knowledge gaps for the region's stakeholders. 

The tools are a significant advancement from prior generations, which could provide only typical economic recommendations based on simpler analyses. The DNV KEMA tools conduct systems analysis at the engineering level and can precisely size, customize, and evaluate storage in numerous, complex applications. They answer the tough economic questions that any utility or regulatory body will need to address to successfully deploy energy storage: What size device should be deployed? Where is the best location? When to discharge? 

"Some have doubted that analysis of these applications was feasible today," said Richard Fioravanti, Vice President, Distributed Energy Resources at DNV KEMA. "But our team anticipated the need to conduct this level of formal evaluations of storage. Policymakers and utilities alike need tools customized to individual distribution systems, to simulate actual performance and provide users with the ability to confidently assess when, where, and whether storage is the right choice."

Deployed as a suite of tools, DNV KEMA's ES-GRID, KERMIT, ES-SELECT, and Microgrid Optimizer provided advanced macro- and micro- analysis end to end across the grid. The microgrid tool, for example, was used to evaluate behind-the-meter aspects of storage economics use cases. Altogether, in California, DNV KEMA conducted more than 150 simulations to help conduct California's cost-effectiveness analysis in support of the State's AB 2514 storage bill.

In addition to ES-GRID, the energy storage evaluation suite includes:

• ES-SELECT, a decision-support tool created to help users identify the most feasible energy storage technology options as well as potential payback ranges. The tool is available through the U.S. Department of Energy on Sandia National Lab's Energy Storage website.
• DNV KEMA's Microgrid Optimizer creates end-use simulations providing vital data for grid infrastructure. It has proven domestic, use-cases in California, New York, and Massachusetts and globally from India to the Netherlands to the U.S. military.
• KERMIT, the real-time grid simulation tool, has served utilities, regulators, and renewable developers worldwide to assess system performance and the effectiveness of storage. 

ES-GRID, the latest in the suite of tools, significantly advances the ability of ISOs, utilities, and renewable developers to identify feasible energy storage technology options and to determine the probability of reaching a payback point and the statistical distribution of the payback year.

About DNV KEMA Energy & Sustainability

DNV KEMA Energy & Sustainability, with more than 2,300 experts in over 30 countries around the world, is committed to driving the global transition toward a safe, reliable, efficient, and clean energy future. With a heritage of nearly 150 years, we specialize in providing world-class, innovative solutions in the fields of business & technical consultancy, testing, inspections & certification, risk management, and verification. As an objective and impartial knowledge-based company, we advise and support organizations along the energy value chain: producers, suppliers & end-users of energy, equipment manufacturers, as well as government bodies, corporations and non-governmental organizations. DNV KEMA Energy & Sustainability is part of DNV, a global provider of services for managing risk with more than 10,000 employees in over 100 countries. For more information on DNV KEMA Energy & Sustainability, visit www.dnvkema.com.