Battery energy storage systems (BESS) support the deployment of renewable power generation while improving the overall efficiency, reliability, and economic viability of these technologies. Grid-scale batteries are essential to managing the impact of renewable energy on the power grid and handling variations in supply and demand to keep the grid stable and reliable.

Battery energy storage systems (BESS) are an essential technology that will help to enable the transition toward renewable energy. BESS facilities make it possible to capture the energy produced from wind and solar photovoltaic and deploy it when needed, balancing the intermittency of these renewable energy sources and improving the stability of the grid.

Downstream oil & gas operations begin after the production phase and involve turning crude oil and natural gas into the finished products used by consumers and end-users. The global downstream segment is estimated to be worth US$1.15 trillion, demonstrating the sector’s important role in bringing usable products to the market.

Battery energy storage systems, also called battery storage power stations, are advanced solutions designed to store, manage, and release electrical energy when power is needed most. As investment in renewable energy sources such as wind and solar grows, battery energy storage systems (BESS) will enable utilities to transition away from fossil fuels while meeting growing electricity demand.

A typical downstream refinery has thousands of components, parts, and assets, each with unique maintenance requirements, operating tolerances, and lifespan. At the same time, aging infrastructure, severe weather, and changing regulatory requirements further complicate the role of Asset Integrity Managers and the Operations & Maintenance departments.

Transformers are critical assets, and any failure can have severe and long-lasting consequences. In the most extreme cases, a transformer failure caused by a lack of proper maintenance can result in widespread outages, costly repairs, and regulatory fines.

The oil & gas industry has always been willing to innovate. From the very beginning, leading organizations have developed new equipment, processes, and business strategies that have led to better performance, improved safety, and reduced emissions. But when it comes to new technology, many companies have been hesitant to fully embrace new solutions. Energy 4.0 represents the advances in hardware, software, and communications that have the potential to transform the oil & gas production process.

Visual and thermal sensors enable remote monitoring of high-value and critical substation assets. With better access to data, utilities can reduce operations and maintenance costs, optimize asset health and performance, and implement a condition-based maintenance strategy.

Continuous monitoring provides utilities with an early warning system to detect potential faults or issues before a serious failure occurs. Instead of relying solely on physical inspections, the Operations & Maintenance team can monitor high-value and critical assets across multiple substations and remote locations.

Electric utilities have long relied on physical inspections and scheduled maintenance programs when managing grid infrastructure. However, the periodic nature of these approaches allows potential faults to go undetected, sometimes for months at a time. This increases the likelihood of a catastrophic equipment failure that results in an outage and requires an emergency repair.