As battery energy storage systems (BESS) become increasingly distributed and interconnected, the need for secure, scalable and low-latency communication networks is gaining importance. Digitalisation and reliable connectivity have also emerged as critical enablers of efficient operations. In an interaction with Renewable Watch, Irwin Barneto, Senior Solution Account Manager – Energy, Belden, discussed the growing role of digital tools and connectivity, secure and resilient communication networks, and artificial intelligence (AI) in energy storage, and the need for greater cybersecurity and interoperability across BESS infrastructure. Edited excerpts…
What are the key applications of digital tools in the BESS space, and how are these expected to evolve with an increasing number of distributed BESS projects?
Today, operations across almost every sector are becoming increasingly data-driven. Data has become an important enabler of decision-making, as it allows for better monitoring and helps generate actionable insights. This, in turn, enables greater control over operations. While such control was traditionally exercised by people, digital tools are now increasingly being used to support and automate decision-making, from control systems to last-mile connectivity, as assets become smarter and more connected.
The same applies to BESS, which is becoming an important component of the renewable energy and power supply chain. It requires digital tools to be integrated across its lifecycle for real-time operations, maintenance and grid integration. Tools such as battery management systems (BMS) help monitor and manage batteries and take protective actions when operating parameters are exceeded. There is therefore a bidirectional flow of information across the power generation, transmission and distribution cycle, with assets continuously sending and receiving information for control and decision-making. While these decisions are increasingly being supported by digital tools, operators also continue to make spontaneous decisions, which are also collated and managed through digital tools.
With more distributed BESS systems coming online, the complexity of managing multiple components, data and bidirectional communication increases. This requires effective coordination across systems and plants, as well as seamless integration with the grid through the right communication technologies.
How important is connectivity between BESS containers to the overall efficiency of a renewable energy project?
BESS is a combination of multiple batteries, sensors, thermal management systems, BMS, fire control systems, power conversion systems and EMS. All these components must be integrated to communicate with each other effectively. This communication provides visibility into the plant, including the amount of power generated and stored, and allows this information to be correlated with grid conditions and requirements. This visibility enables effective control and management of the BESS. Since different containers may operate under different environmental conditions, their parameters can also vary.
Monitoring the state of charge, the state of health, temperature, faults, voltage, current, and remaining capacity is therefore important, making BMS critical for decision-making.
The BMS may need to take protective actions, such as isolating a battery, while also balancing the system based on grid requirements. This intelligence exists both at the container level and the EMS level, so decision-making is not just centralised. The response time is also critical.
While some faults can accommodate longer response times, others, such as a battery reaching a critical temperature, may require a response within milliseconds to isolate it. This makes reliable, high-speed and low-latency communication essential. Ultimately, effective connectivity brings all these discrete components together, enabling the BESS to operate as a single storage system that also supplies power to the grid.
What are some of the gaps in the power industry’s current approach to connectivity systems for BESS, and what changes are required to build secure, resilient and future-ready storage systems?
The industry has given significant attention to tools such as EMS and SCADA. However, a reliable system is built by considering every component of the network, from head-end systems to the last mile. Even the smallest components are critical to overall reliability. These components are often overlooked because attention tends to be focused on larger, more visible and expensive systems.
Every component needs to be considered when designing a reliable BESS network. Other important considerations are whether the communication systems are based on open-standard protocols and whether they incorporate high levels of redundancy, such as the Media Redundancy Protocol or the Parallel Redundancy Protocol. These protocols have long ensured reliable substation automation and should now be extended to BESS as an integral part of the power supply chain.
Scalability is also important. Networks need to be designed to accommodate future expansion in storage capacity and additional components. As the system expands, interoperability between different hardware and software systems and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) becomes increasingly important.
This also makes proper time synchronisation essential, as data from multiple systems needs to be accurately correlated to understand events across the network.
Another challenge is the evolution of technology and the mismatched lifecycles that can result from implementing systems in silos. While batteries may have long lifespans, their electronic components may not. Industrial-grade networking, particularly on the OT side, can address this by supporting harsh environments and longer 10–15 year lifecycles, reducing the need for frequent replacements. Finally, cybersecurity must be built into every layer of the BESS, from batteries to SCADA, particularly in multi-vendor environments, and should be considered from the outset.
What role is AI expected to play in BESS monitoring and maintenance, efficient energy management and grid synchronisation?
AI is becoming increasingly important in industrial environments. One of the biggest roles AI can play is identifying patterns and using them to predict outcomes. Conventional systems typically operate based on predefined thresholds, and action is taken when a parameter crosses a certain limit. AI can add an element of predictive decision-making to this process. It can draw data from multiple sources simultaneously, correlate that information and either make decisions or assist operators in making them.
In a BESS, this could involve bringing together data from the battery, BMS, the power conversion system and EMS on an overlaying platform. This, however, increases bandwidth requirements and network complexity, as AI needs data from multiple sources. By analysing power generation, battery condition and load requirements, AI can make EMS operations more efficient and support effective BESS management and grid synchronisation. The key shift is from reactive to predictive decision-making, supported by edge computing that enables local processing and faster decisions while feeding relevant data to AI platforms for larger system-level decisions.
How can stakeholders ensure cybersecurity in increasingly complex and interconnected BESS systems?
Cybersecurity is not optional; it is the need of the hour. There is significant discussion in the industry around developing standards and understanding the extent to which cybersecurity needs to be implemented. One framework that needs to be followed is IEC 62443, which provides guidelines for stakeholders involved in the cybersecurity journey. Choosing the right tools to implement principles such as visibility, authentication and segmentation can help build a defence-in-depth approach without affecting system availability.
This is particularly important because BESS, like other power systems, can be vulnerable to cyberattacks. An attack could potentially interfere with the charging or discharging of batteries or disrupt thermal management systems, creating critical temperature conditions. OT firewalls are therefore being implemented to provide protection, but cybersecurity needs to remain a continuous process involving all the OEMs and stakeholders. Each stakeholder needs to take responsibility for its individual system while collectively ensuring the cybersecurity of the overall plant.
On the safety side, systems must respond to signals in real time for effective monitoring and grid control, with fault-triggering mechanisms and deterministic communication ensuring timely responses. Safety systems rely on automation, control and SCADA-based monitoring, supported by measures such as patch management and role-based access control. Intelligent monitoring and fault detection can further strengthen BESS safety.
How can we ensure disaster-resilient communication systems for critical energy infrastructure? What are the current gaps in the Indian power system, and what steps are needed to address them?
Resilience requires planning for both normal operations and potential failures. It can be built at multiple levels through redundancy in communication paths, systems and critical components involved in generating, transmitting and controlling data. However, building resilience comes with an additional cost. While power transmission networks have significant redundancy, it decreases towards the last mile due to cost considerations. This gap needs greater attention to ensure resilience across the entire network.
The objective should be to build optimised networks that ensure data redundancy while maintaining low latency. Predictability of network behaviour is also very important for plant administrators, particularly during critical situations. While cost constraints can compromise resilience, redundancy and security, the right expertise can help bring these elements together to build networks that are resilient, reliable and predictable.
