Read the full episode transcript
00:00:01 Ivan Buckner
Hello and welcome everyone to Power Bytes. I am your host, Ivan Buckner. This month’s podcast topic is on energy storage systems. You may be wondering why we're discussing this topic. Well, often when people think of energy solutions, they think about diesel and gas generator sets or gas turbines. But more and more sophisticated power solutions are starting to include energy storage systems into their mix. So let's talk solutions today. We have Adam Logue on the podcast today to talk about battery energy storage systems. Adam has a degree in business from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. Yes, he's a Saluki! He's been with Caterpillar for four years. Currently, he's a senior sales representative on the Rental Power team. Adam, welcome to Power Bytes.
00:00:48 Adam Logue
Hi, thanks for having me, Ivan. It's great to be here.
00:00:50 Ivan Buckner
Thank you. For my understanding, energy storage systems are essentially large batteries that, depending on their size, can hold hours’ and hours’ worth of power for a range of applications?
00:01:01 Adam Logue
Yep, that's correct. There are actually several types of energy storage systems, but “battery” energy storage systems are becoming a really popular way to supplement traditional power because they can dispatch power quickly and easily.
00:01:13 Ivan Buckner
Here’s what I don't understand: why the need for energy storage systems? Is it necessary? Wouldn't a generator set make more sense?
00:01:20 Adam Logue
That's a great question, Ivan. And in a lot of cases, the best combination is having both a generator set (whether that be mobile or stationery) and a battery storage system working together. Think about it this way. Imagine you have a site and your generator set is running on a light load…
00:01:36 Ivan Buckner
You used the term “light load.” I think I know what you mean, but can you clarify that for me and our listeners?
00:01:42 Adam Logue
Yep, absolutely. What that means is that the generator set is running and producing significantly less power than what it's rated at. It's not advised to run a generator set on less than 30% of its load. If they do, it can actually cause a range of problems with the engine and the aftertreatment. Another consequence with running a generator on a light load is that it's an unnecessary waste of fuel because you're powering more engine than you need, right? Now, obviously, we and the customers don't want that.
00:02:13 Ivan Buckner
Why would someone allow their generator to run on a light load?
00:02:16 Adam Logue
Well, there are several reasons. Two common ones that we see are: one, the generator set is just simply too big for the site. Sometimes people will rent a standard sized generator, but they'll take it from site to site and some of their sites just need less power than others. [Two], is generators can run on the light load when the site has an asymmetric load profile, or the power required from the generator fluctuates.
00:02:44 Ivan Buckner
So, you're saying that the battery energy storage system can help the generator set when it's running on light load?
00:02:50 Adam Logue
Yeah, it can absolutely help! Let's look at an example. Let's say that you have a mobile generator set for your site, but it would only be running at maybe like a 20% load. If this was the case, what you'd want to do instead is power the site with your battery storage system and turn off your generator set completely. When the battery has depleted, your generator will automatically turn on – and not only will it do that, but it'll charge the battery and power your load at the same time. Charging the battery will require more power from the generator set, so it should not be running on a light load anymore. When the batteries are charged back up, the genset will kick off and there's a seamless transition back to battery power. Now, not only is the genset operating in a more efficient point on the load curve, the genset runtime will also be reduced. This means you maintain the engine health of the generator and still have reliable and consistent power to your site.
00:03:50 Ivan Buckner
Wow, that makes a lot of sense. Tell me this. Do you see a scenario where you wouldn't need a generator?
00:03:58 Adam Logue
Do you mean just use a battery?
00:04:00 Ivan Buckner
Exactly. Just the battery.
00:04:02 Adam Logue
Yeah, well, there are several combinations in which battery storage can play a role in the overall solution. In some cases, customers swap their generator set out for a battery storage system when used in conjunction with solar panels. One customer actually had a generator set in a location that was really awkward to get to. They were running that generator for two or three hours a day. So, every week they had to go out and refuel the generator, and it was really becoming inconvenient for the customer. So what they decided to do was put a battery and solar panels on the location. [Then,] the solar panels actually charged the battery. The battery then provides those two to three hours a day of power, completely removing the generator set from the solution. This means that the customer didn't need to worry about going out to this remote location and topping off fuel and potentially having spillage.
00:04:51 Ivan Buckner
Interesting. It sounds like customers can save money on fuel cost, right?
00:04:56 Adam Logue
Fuel cost savings is generally a benefit of using a battery storage system, whether that replaces or works in conjunction with the genset. Also it can help to reduce your site's greenhouse gas emissions because you're not running the generator set as much.
00:05:09 Ivan Buckner
What about the noise factor? Is there any?
00:05:12 Adam Logue
That's a great question, Ivan. The battery storage system is a quieter solution than the alternative. If you think about the different types of events – maybe a golf outing or a tradeshow where you may not want that noise of a generator running in the background – the battery storage system could be a perfect option for those types of applications.
00:05:30 Ivan Buckner
Thanks for explaining that to me and our listeners. Adam, one last question. I feel like we haven't discussed why “batteries that are mobile” matter. Can you help me understand that?
00:05:41 Adam Logue
Yeah, absolutely. So having anything mobile gives people the flexibility to move their power around their site, especially if that site has a large footprint. Another interesting thing about a battery being mobile is the ability to move it around your site for charging purposes. If we think about the new electric machines, for example. The worksite where the E-machine is operating could be very remote from the charging port that they would need to get back to. Now in these scenarios, the mobile battery can be used to bring the storage to the E-machine to recharge mid shift without having to return the E-machine back to the utility charging point, saving some time.
00:06:20 Ivan Buckner
A mobile charging station. That's interesting, man. There are so many ways to use mobile energy storage. I feel like I need to get one.
00:06:27 Adam Logue
Ivan, it has been an exciting time to watch the demand for this type of power grow over the last couple of years.
00:06:32 Ivan Buckner
Let's continue to watch this space grow. Adam, thank you. It's been nice having you on the show.
00:06:37 Adam Logue
Ivan, I really appreciate the opportunity to come on and speak with you. It's been an absolute pleasure. Thanks for having me.
00:06:42 Ivan Buckner
Thank you so much. This is the first time we've covered this topic on Power Bytes. I'm happy we did; it helped me understand how energy storage can be a part of the overall solution. To our listeners, thank you for tuning in today. If you have any feedback, please e-mail us at powerbytes@cat.com. I'd love to hear your thoughts on today's podcast or ideas for future podcasts.
