Market optimization is a priority for BESS asset managers, but SCADA data inaccuracies often go unnoticed—costing sites up to 15% in lost revenue. Errors from the BMS level propagate through the PCS and EMS, misreporting energy availability and power capabilities. Worse, NERC CIP restrictions on Chinese battery systems and weak LTSA accuracy guarantees leave operators relying on flawed data.
Utility-scale Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are booming, driven by cost-effective AC and DC blocks from leading lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery integrators like CATL and Sungrow. With merchant revenue underperforming in 2024, asset managers are looking for ways to boost returns and meet internal rate of return (IRR) targets.
Market optimization is a common focus, but an often-overlooked issue affects revenue across ancillary services, real-time trading, and PPAs: SCADA data inaccuracies.
Did you know that inaccuracies in SCADA-reported State of Charge (SoC) and power availability could be costing your BESS site up to 15% in lost revenue? Many asset managers overlook this hidden inefficiency while focusing on market optimization instead. The culprit behind these inaccuracies? Your SCADA data.
Errors in SCADA points begin at the Rack level, where Battery Management System (BMS) measurements are communicated and aggregated at the Power Conversion System (PCS) level. These inaccuracies then cascade up to the site’s Energy Management System (EMS) and Power Plant Controller (PPC), which report directly to Independent System Operators (ISOs) as well as market operations teams responsible for placing bids and offers.
Inaccurate SCADA data leads to misreported Energy and Power capabilities, reducing revenue, increasing operational inefficiencies, and ultimately affecting bottom-line performance. A 15% error in SoC estimation at the rack level can translate to a 15% discrepancy in site-wide signals—a significant issue for a revenue-driven asset.
Most battery systems are developed by Chinese manufacturers, but NERC CIP security standards prohibit Chinese software in critical infrastructure. As a result, many third party vendors lack full visibility into battery behavior, leading to persistent reporting errors.
To make matters worse, while vendors provide guarantees around availability and capacity, their Long-Term Service Agreements (LTSAs) generally fail to include accuracy requirements for critical operational signals like SoC, maximum power, or battery balancing. This means asset managers may be relying on data that was never designed to be accurate.
Zitara’s real-time and on-prem algorithms learn from your BESS behavior and deliver accurate SCADA signals that replace your error-prone OEM ones. Our software integrates with EMS platforms, optimizing real-time operations and market participation.
We’ve deployed our technology across hundreds of MWh of LFP batteries in various configurations. Our solutions seamlessly integrate with popular EMS platforms, enhancing the accuracy of SCADA-reported signals and optimizing real-time operations.
Ready to maximize your asset’s revenue potential and eliminate the uncertainty of inaccurate SCADA signals? Reach out today to get a free Insights Report to see how much energy you’re leaving on the table—and how Zitara can help.
Cell balance
Cell balance refers to the differences in state of charge of the series cells in a battery pack. The amount of imbalance is the highest cell’s state of charge (SoC) minus the lowest cell’s
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