Calculations – light version
Network impacts can be investigated with both modelling as well as evaluation of real-life trials.
Distribution substation data can be used to calculate the daily peak load and SSC and SS rates explained above.
To check that changes in these rates for daily peak load, SSC and SS are being caused by the neighbourhood battery, you should also compare results to the battery’s charging/discharging data. You want to be looking for things like:
- Was the battery actually charging/discharging when there was an increase in SSC or SS? (If not, maybe the increase was caused by change/s in community load or solar generation or some other factor)
- Is the battery charging/discharging at the expected time of day? (For example, if the battery wasn’t charging during solar hours, it obviously wasn’t soaking up excess solar)
Results should be compared to household batteries, and VPPs.
Calculations – full version
To approximate the impact your neighbourhood battery will have on the network before implementing it, you will need to use a battery operation software. If you have the funds available, you could hire a consultant to perform this modelling for you using their own in-house battery modelling software.
If not, or if you have skilled personnel within your team, you could look at performing the modelling yourself. BSGIP has produced an open-source software, c3x, that can be used to do so. The software can be access through BSGIP’s public GitHub repository here. Currently, unfortunately, the open-source software available from BSGIP is limited in its capability. There are plans however to create an updated, public version of BSGIP’s battery operation modelling software, c3x-neon, which will hopefully be available in the near future.
Other commercially available software includes Gitcog’s community battery modelling software, which you can learn about here.