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Usage of Battery Energy Storage Systems to Defer Substation Upgrades

Conference Paper · October 2018

DOI: 10.1109/OI.2018.8535635

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 Usage of Battery Energy Storage Systems to Defer
Substation Upgrades
S.B. Pienaar, K. Kusakana and P.T. Manditereza
Department of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering
Central University of Technology, Free State
20 Pres Brand, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa
PienaaSB@eskom.co.za , kkusakana@cut.ac.za, pmandite@cut.ac.za
Abstract - Electricity is generated and distributed
instantaneously. In electricity utilities, this is occasionally an
enormous amount of wasted capacity. Illegal connections may
contribute to overloads and trips, as the network is carrying
more users than what it was designed for. Before substation
upgrades may take place, new and existing consumers who need
additional electricity are rejected, due to capacity constraints in
existing substations. The installation of large scale battery energy
storage systems may support the long-term carbon mitigation
strategy of South Africa, to transition to a low carbon economy.
The aim of this paper is to propose a Battery Energy Storage
System (BESS) design that may lead to costly network upgrade
deferral and reduced demand charges.
Keywords - Battery, Substation, Upgrade, Demand charge
I. INTRODUCTION
Battery energy storage has been widely used in China,
Germany and the United States as one of the preferred
alternatives for energy storage [1]. Battery energy storage
systems provide frequency regulation, voltage support, energy
time-shift, demand reduction, power reliability, power quality
and islanding operations. Distributed battery energy storage is
used to improve network capacity, quality of supply and to
defer costly substation upgrades [2].
The utilisation of storage devices, may lead to the safe
utilisation of substation equipment, by assisting on-load tap
changers with voltage control [2, 3]. Battery energy storage
systems are used to store energy, to be utilised during system
peaks, allowing more consumers to be connected to the grid.
Dual purpose energy storage systems are to justify the use of
battery energy storage systems, for peak shaving during the
winter and increased battery power charging during the
summer. Charging the batteries during load off-peak times,
when the price of electricity is low, and discharging the stored
energy during load peak evening time, is an alternative method
of saving on electricity expenses [4].
Battery energy storage systems may perform both FCR-N
(frequency containment reserve for normal operation) and
FCR-D (Frequency containment reserve for disturbances).
FCR-N should be able to increase and decrease power to
maintain the system frequency in the normal area, among 49.9
and 50.1 Hz. FCR-D is initiated in the low frequency range
between 49.5-49.9 Hz. FCR-D should control the frequency
978-1-5090-1629-7/16/$31.00 ©2018 IEEE
upwards, by increasing capacity or load shedding should be
implemented [5].
No battery energy storage systems are currently installed in
substations in South Africa. Battery energy storage systems
are still expensive; this is the reason why the demand is not
high. Due to the depletion in the supply of fossil fuels and
concerns over environmental pollution, the use of renewable
energy continues to grow [6].
Battery energy storage systems may be installed and
maintained by contractors under a business contract.
Contractors should provide training and transfer skills to
electricity utility employees. Energy storage may be supported
or funded by the government, due to the expensive technology
cost. This could be an alternative solution to achieve the
utilisation of renewable energy [7].
To determine the battery lifetime, two major aging effects
are considered. The cyclation based state of health and the
calendrical aging. The cyclation based power loss is derived
from counting the amount of transferred coulombs. The
calendrical aging is the loss of power that occurs when the
battery is not in service. The calendrical aging is due to three
main factors: temperature, state of charge and the non-
operating duration of the energy storage system [8].
The Northern Cape Operating Unit in South Africa is
experiencing load-growth, due to residential developments,
high electrification growth, agriculture and mining. The
methods currently used to do substation upgrades are costly
and time consuming. Network upgrades require interrupting
continuity of supply to customers and this has a negative
impact on the performance of the network (System Average
Interruption Duration Index and System Average Interruption
Frequency Index).
Furthermore, the South African energy utility Eskom,
upgrades their substations, due to equipment that has reached
their functional lifespan. Outdated control plant schemes, used
in existing substations are less reliable with no fault recording
capability. The cost to maintain outdated equipment that
interrupts security and continuity of supply to customers is
high.
This paper provides details of the proposed integration
design for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). Further, it
presents the benefits of battery energy storage systems.
Finally, modern substation upgrade designs and costs for
future high voltage network upgrades are compared to the
battery energy storage system costs.
 II. BATTERY TECHNOLOGIES
A. Vanadium Redox Flow Battery
Vanadium Redox Flow Battery (VRFB) technologies are
the preferred energy storage systems, due to the long lifespan,
flexible design, fast response time, deep-discharge capability
and low pollution [9]. Leak sensors are installed inside the
battery container to monitor any leaking of electrolyte
remotely and cause the battery management system to isolate
the affected component. Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries may
be used for load levelling. This approach may increase the
function of renewables, during periods of low demand [10].
Batteries should be replaced if the capacity test indicates
that the battery capacity is below 80% of the manufacturer's
specification. The ion membrane condition of Redox Flow
Batteries is often a determinant for complete battery or
individual cell replacement. Vanadium redox flow batteries are
exclusive electrochemical energy storage systems. VRFB’s
may repeatedly convert and store multi-megawatt-hours
(MWhs) of electrical energy to chemical energy and convert
the chemical energy back to electrical energy as needed [11].
Figure 1: Structure of a Vanadium Redox Flow battery [11]
Vanadium flow battery’s electrolyte is completely non-
flammable, effectively minimizing the fire hazard of the whole
system. Electrical fires that may occur in Vanadium redox
flow batteries, due to an internal fault, are mitigated by a
smoke detector in each battery. RFB (Redox flow battery)
cells comprise of two electrodes and two circulating
electrolyte solutions. The electrodes are separated by an ion-
exchange membrane, as illustrated in Figure 1 [11].
B. Lead-acid battery
Lead-acid batteries have an electrolyte which contains
dilute sulphuric acid, which may cause severe chemical burns.
High battery temperatures increase conductor resistances,
accelerate electrochemical processes and diffusion processes
in lead-acid cells [12].
During the charging process, lead-acid batteries may develop
hydrogen gas and oxygen. This may result in an explosive
mixture. The voltages of all the cells are monitored, so that
individual cell state of charge and state of health may be
predicted in advance [12]. The life cycle of lead-acid cells is
determined by positive grid corrosion, positive plate material
deterioration, loss of water and electrolyte stratification [13].
C. NiFe Battery Cells
To improve the highly efficient NiFe battery cells, iron
electrodes, based on Fe/FeS/CuSO4, were investigated.
Condition based maintenance will prolong the life of battery
cells and will ensure their capability of supplying peak power
requirements. Battery capacity acceptance tests should be done
at the factory or upon initial installation [6].
The capacity test should meet a specific discharge rate and
duration, relating to the manufacturers specification. Test
results proved that copper sulphate increases the performance
of iron-based electrodes with approximately 6%. The addition
of iron sulphide in the electrode, improves the performance of
NiFe cells, rather than using copper alone [6].
III. BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM OPERATION
Figure 2: Structure diagram of the Battery Energy Storage System [14].
Structure diagram of the Battery Energy Storage System
(BESS), as shown in Figure 2, consists of three main systems:
the power conversion system (PCS), energy storage system
and the battery management system (BMS). The power
conversion system consists of a three-phase, full bridge
converter, which couples the battery system to the electricity
utility’s network [14].
The BMS (Battery Management System) is used to
monitor and measure the power system’s performance
parameters, such as voltages, currents, and temperatures. A
battery energy storage system with an incorrect state of charge
may be overcharged or over-discharged. This may damage the
storage system, shorten the life time, or even cause fire or an
explosion. The BMS will communicate with the PCS (Power
Conversion System), the state of charge (SOC) and the state of
health (SOH) [14].
When the state of charge (SOC) is 1, the energy storage
system is fully charged. The energy storage system should
pause charging the storage system, to avoid damaging the
batteries. When the SOC is 0, the storage system is discharged
fully. The energy storage system should stop discharging the
batteries as the battery system is empty [8, 14].
 discharging process. The 4 quadrant power conversion
IV. PROPOSED DESIGN FOR BESS systems, further releases capacity back to the utility system, to
provide active and reactive power control [16, 17].

Figure 3: Proposed Battery Energy Storage System design.

The proposed Battery Energy Storage System (BESS)

design, in Figure 3 may be applied in substations with two or
more constrained medium voltage feeders. The BESS should
be protected from direct lightning strikes, by means of 21 Figure 4: Schematic diagram of a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS)
meter lightning masts. Kiosk circuit-breakers are three-pole [16].
operated circuit-breakers with integrated protection and
current measurement transformers. The proposed Kiosk
breaker is used for control, measuring, indicating, maintenance
and protection purposes.
The 22 kV Isolators should be used to isolate the battery
energy storage system before equipment may be refurbished.
Linking the Direct Current (DC) batteries to a step up 400
V/22 kV Transformer should be done through DC to AC
inverters [15]. The 400 V/22 kV Transformer should be used
as a source of AC power for the battery energy storage
systems. A yard distribution box with a chop-over module
should be installed, to provide auxiliary supply for two or
more Energy Storage Systems (ESS).

The battery energy storage system should be strung with a bull

conductor and connected to the 22 kV bypass Isolators, as
designed in Figure 3. The bypass of bays refers to the
complete switching out of the battery energy storage bay,
including the protection and control panel. The bypassed
battery energy storage bay should be rerouted to a fully
Figure 5: MICOM P145 relay
equipped alternative bay, which has its own protection scheme
and revenue metering.
The 4RF1100 protection scheme is preferred, for the
The bolted/bolted type clamps should be used on non-current
interconnection of medium voltage feeder protection. The
carrying equipment and the bolted/compression type clamps
4RF1100 scheme is also used for Embedded Generators to
should be used on current carrying equipment. All the
Eskom’s electrical medium voltage networks. The 4RF1100
stringing should be done in accordance with the proposed
scheme may further be used to protect the medium voltage
sections and general arrangement designs.
network and the consumers from possible adverse effects of
Foundations for the battery energy storage bay equipment
the battery energy storage systems. The 4RF1100 protection
should be bonded to the main earth mat, via the bolts installed
scheme utilizes a main Intelligent Electronic Device (IED), the
within the foundations. The holding down bolts should be
MiCOM P145 feeder management relay, as indicated in Figure
bonded to the 10mm main earth grid, via 50 x 3 mm flat
5. The scheme provides over current, earth fault, sensitive
copper, for earth-fault conditions.
earth fault protection, breaker fail and auto reclose control.
The Power Conversion System (PCS) in Figure 4 may be
An alternative design, that may be used for the energy storage
used as a rectifier in the charging process and as a DC (Direct
system is to utilize two kiosk breakers on both sides of the 400
Current) to AC (Alternating Current) inverter in the
V/22 kV step up transformer, as designed in Figure 6. The
current transformers of the kiosk breaker should be used for
over-current, earth fault, differential protection and restricted
earth fault protection.
The battery management system should ensure that the
storage system output is matched to the grid. The battery
management system should further prevent any stray currents
or electrical problems from impacting the grid [18, 19]. A
GPRS modem should be installed, for remote downloading of
revenue metering data. The ION8800A meter may be used for
quality measurements.

V. POSITIONING OF BESS

As presented in Table 1. Battery energy storage systems

may be deployed on the power system, at a substation, on a
high voltage feeder, medium voltage feeder or as a residential
community focused system. Calculating the size and
placement of battery energy storage systems on the
distribution network, is dependent on the battery technology
and the purpose of the battery energy storage system [3].

Table 1: Positioning of BESS

Category Placement Application

A Battery energy storage For voltage
systems may be support, solar
connected as close as smoothing or
Figure 6: Alternate proposed BESS design possible to consumers frequency
(230 V-400 V). stabilization.
The SEL487E two terminal differential protection relay in B Battery energy storage For peak shifting,
Figure 7, may be used when two kiosk breakers are utilized. systems may be substation
The on-load tap change of the step-up transformer may be connected to the upgrades deferral
protected and controlled by the 4TC-5200 tap change medium voltage busbars. or for additional
protection scheme. The circulating current scheme uses the BESS may further be capacity.
REG-DA voltage regulating relay for on-load tap changing connected to the
applications. medium voltage feeders
(3.3 kV-33 kV).
C Battery energy storage For reliability of
systems may be supply,
connected to the high substations
voltage busbars. upgrades deferral
Furthermore, BESS may or back - up
also be connected to the supply.
high voltage feeders (44
kV - 132 kV).

VI. RADIAL DISTRIBUTION FEEDERS

On a radial distribution feeder, the end of the feeder lacks

Figure 7: SEL-487E relay
consistent back-up supply connection from other feeders. This
increases the interruption time and reliability methods may be
difficult to achieve. With a single source of supply, as
illustrated in Figure 8. Battery energy storage offers one
possibility to decrease the outage times experienced by
consumers [15]. Historic data, combined with network
planning, allows an estimation of where interruptions are
likely to occur. Energy storage systems may further be used
for reliability improvement, as an alternative to more costly
distribution line capacity upgrades [16].
 substations, is approximately R1 800 000 per
kilometre.

Table 2: BESS technology and performance cost [21].

Technology Power Energy Round-trip Cycles

Subsystem Storage Efficiency
Cost Subsystem (%)
($/kW) Cost ($/kWh)

Advanced 400 330 80 2000

Lead-acid
Batteries
Figure 8: Basic topology for connecting the Battery Energy Storage to the grid Sodium/Sulfur 350 350 75 3000
[12] Batteries
Lead-acid 400 330 75 20000
When loss of supply occurs due to a fault, the BESS Batteries with
responds to the frequency changes, by discharging the battery Carbon-
energy. The customer loads are further supplied, using battery enhanced
Electrodes
energy storage systems located close to loads, until the local
Zinc/ 400 400 70 3000
utility power is restored. This is because it is impossible to
bromine
predict where future interruptions will happen [15, 16, 18, 20]. Batteries
Vanadium 400 600 65 5000
VII. DESIGN COMPARISON Redox
Batteries
PowerOffice 14 was utilized for the new 132/22 kV modern Lithium-ion 400 600 85 4000
substation design costing and for the 132 kV single circuit Batteries
Tern feeder with Optic Ground Wire (OPGW) expenses. (large)
PowerOffice 14 software makes use of design modules and
cells for the costing of final design packages of substations Table 3: 40 MVA substation cost breakdown.
and feeders.
Bill of quantities and the ACNAC program may be used for Description New Substation
the battery energy storage system detail design costing. For Engineering ( E ) R 3 316 603
new energy storage technology quotations of external
Material ( M ) R 22 063 659
consultants, external contracts on the detail costing sheet may
be used. Further, the bill of quantities and the ACNAC Internal Contracts R 97 252
program was also used for the decommissioning costs. External Contracts R 13 478 602
Below, the design comparisons are given: Commissioning ( T ) R 693 493
• Labour expenses: labour costs for a modern Overheads (7.5%) R 2 973 721
substation design may be more cost effective, IDC R0
compared to the battery energy storage system design Land and Rights R 31 170
expenses. The decommissioning cost of the existing
Total Project DRA Costs R 42 654 500
66 kV network is approximately R 600 000 per
kilometre. Further, the decommissioning costs of the
existing 66/22 kV substations is approximately VIII. CONCLUSION
R9 000 000 per substation.
Sufficient capacity may be created on the medium voltage
• Land development expenses: battery energy storage network for future growth, by installing battery energy storage
systems require more servitude for the same capacity systems. However, the cost to upgrade high voltage networks
as newly designed substations.
and substations is more cost effective. Batteries experience
• Equipment costs: The battery energy storage systems capacity degradation with usage over time; energy storage
in Table 2 are noticeably more expensive. This is companies should incorporate new methods from prognostics
compared to the designing, procurement of and health management (PHM), in order to extend battery life.
equipment and the construction of a new 40 MVA As the actual mechanisms leading to cell ageing are complex
modern substation in Table 3. The cost to upgrade the to understand, we need to develop new methods that may
existing 66 kV network in South Africa, to a single monitor the battery storage system health and predict failure.
circuit 132 kV Tern line using monopoles, with Optic This is to increase the reliability and life cycle of the overall
Ground Wire (OPGW) for communication between system. By using battery storage systems, distribution assets,
such as overhead conductors, remain under their thermal limits
and their useful lifetime is improved [22]. Battery energy
storage systems may further assist on-load tap changers,
capacitor banks and step voltage regulators, to achieve a
flexible, real-power control in distribution systems [23, 24].
Further, energy storage systems may be used to avoid the cost
of coal and carbon emissions by coal generating stations.
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