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BaSS - Electrochemical battery for voltage support in distribution grid

BaSS aims to facilitate that battery energy storage systems (BESS) become an alternative to grid reinforcement for voltage challenges, when this is the most socio-economically rational solution. Several different services for voltage support may be relevant in the same power grid (value stacking). It is challenging to design control systems and methods for optimal rating of such a BESS.

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Knowledge, methods and design criteria will be achieved through four main professional workpagages (WP).

  • BESS as a grid service: when can a BESS contribute with voltage support and in which cases will the BESS have limited value? This will involve defining which power quality problems a BESS can solve, and to consider how a BESS can solve several different problems simultaneously.
  • Operation strategies and communication needs for operating a BESS. In order for a BESS to be able to contribute with voltage support, operation strategies must be futher developed and considered to be able to solve the problems defined in WP1. Here, we will simulate different strategies and the behavior of the BESS.
  • Testing BESS as voltage support. In a Smartgrid-lab, we will test and verify different operation strategies - both strategies that solve a single problem, and stategies that combine different uses of the BESS. In the field, we will demonstrate voltage support in a real low voltage network, and compare the results with those from lab testing. This will be an important part of assessing how suitable a BESS is as voltage support for different cases.
  • Developing a methodology for assessment and specification of BESS as voltage support. The grid companies need such a methodology to be able to evaluate the BESS against traditional grid reinforcement. In which cases should a BESS be used instead of upgrading lines, and how should network planners arrive at this?

Project owner: ENERGI NORGE AS

Project partners:


This is an Innovation Project for the Industrial Sector (IPN) financed by the Research Council of Norway.


There is more information about the project on the norwegian page.

Key facts

Project duration

2021 - 2024

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