Volytica, Sinovoltaics launch new analysis service for 100% battery pack review at factory

Hong Kong-based technical compliance and quality assurance service firm Sinovoltaics and German cloud-based battery diagnostics software provider volytica have teamed to develop a battery energy storage system (BESS) analysis service, offering 100% pack review.

According to the developers, their BESSential analysis detects and corrects thermal, electrical, and capacity imbalance issues directly at the BESS factory and goes beyond typical Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), which is performed on the container level.

While FAT involves extensive electrical and performance tests at the factory to ensure the battery systems meet industry standards, “they can miss smaller defects and abnormal behaviors that may not become apparent for years,” the companies argue. What is more, some BESS integrators only perform sampling performance tests and can miss underlying issues in subsystems, racks, or battery packs that emerge after installation. 

“Even a minor defect at the cell level can jeopardize an entire BESS investment. Our BESSential 100% pack analysis mitigates this risk, protecting the client’s physical asset while also securing their return on investment,” said Arthur Claire, Director of Technology at Sinovoltaics.

BESSential collects and compiles the vast amount of data from the FAT and then goes a step further to evaluates each pack down to the cell level. It can identify volatility in individual battery packs and cells, such as temperature shifts, voltage irregularities, capacity imbalance, and other factors predictive of battery defects.

These metrics are then used to model the micro-environment of each battery pack. Any anomalies that are found are flagged in the system for further inspection. Any volatile components are also removed and tested further, with BESSential-vetted replacements substituted for defective components. Once the analysis is carried out, BESS owners and investors are provided with a full report on defects and remediations.

Pack testing at factory

Battery pack data analysis tests are usually performed during site commissioning, not at the factory. Sinovoltaics and volytica argue that this traditional method leads to a suboptimal testing environment that prevents a comprehensive performance evaluation of the BESS. This also means that if an issue is detected during commissioning, it can take months to replace defective modules.

“In order to mitigate investment risk, thorough testing of energy storage systems prior to commissioning is essential,” says Claudius Jehle, managing director and CEO at volytica. “Current practices often miss critical defects by testing systems as a whole, rather than testing each element individually.”

According to Jehle, testing all components automatically significantly reduces the risk of post-deployment setbacks, saving time, money and avoiding disputes with original equipment manufacturers.