News, Power Generation & Electrical

DNV GL launches Battery XT, the world’s first testing-based verification tool for battery lifetime

As energy storage deployment reaches the gigawatt scale,

New software tool Battery XT reduces risk and informs Li-on battery purchases and life cycle.

OAKLAND, Cailfornia, U.S. – 23 October 2017 – DNV GL, the world’s largest resource of independent energy experts and certification body, has created Battery XT, the first testing-based verification of battery lifetime for Li-on batteries.

The independent verification tool compiles battery life cycle data and predicts battery degradation under different conditions and duty cycles, providing renewables stakeholders with an objective way to compare the value and reliability of types and brands of energy storage technology.

The service incorporates the experience of ten years of research and development in energy storage and has been developed in cooperation with industry stakeholders.

“As energy storage deployment reaches the gigawatt scale, the market is still challenged to overcome the self-certification approaches of the past,” said Davion M. Hill, Ph.D., DNV GL’s energy storage leader, Americas. “No two markets have the same duty cycle and no two batteries have the same performance. This bottlenecks project development because every project requires a unique verification of lifetime. To solve this, we calibrated legacy automotive life prediction models with a minimum dataset. Once tested, batteries can be sized to any duty cycle and developers can scale without waiting on data from suppliers. We have built the world’s only independently created database of Li-on battery performance to help the market deploy faster.”

Battery XT offers an independent third-party testing and verification of product warrantees and performance guarantees before making a purchasing decision.

Battery XT, which can also provide consulting on battery size and chemistry selection, aims to reduce risk and inform purchases and planning for energy storage asset management. The independent verification enables the industry to test at the lowest cost possible, helping stakeholders save time and money by eliminating the need to address individual, customized testing protocols for each vendor.

DNV GL offers an interactive online demo to illustrate the way Battery XT works. Viewers can try three scenarios—fast charge electric ferry, hybrid genset and solar+frequency—by entering sample information such as system size, temperature and initial state of change, and then running a simulator to show how the factors apply. The full service offered on a per project basis is able to tailor even the most complex duty cycle to the customer and their battery.

“As the storage market continues to expand, the ability to manage risk at the point of purchase is becoming increasingly important,” said Rich Barnes, executive vice president and regional manager for DNV GL Energy in North America. “Battery XT will empower stakeholders to make better purchasing decisions based on objective, third-party testing.”