Recently, rising power demands have led a major expansion in the share of renewable energy. Consequently, the stable management of the power grid has become a crucial challenge. Against this backdrop, Virtual Power Plant(VPP) and Energy Storage System(ESS) are gaining widespread attention as vital infrastructure required to supply reliable renewable energy.

A VPP is a comprehensive energy management system that aggregates small-scale energy resources distributed across different areas. It collects data from these distributed resources and uses AI to predict individual generation output and demand. Then, it stores the surplus power and dispatches it to areas with high demand. While it doesn’t exist in a physical form, it functions in the same way a traditional power plant does.

[VPP aggregates and manages distributed energy resources]

By utilizing a VPP, the volatility of renewable energy–whose supply fluctuates depending on weather conditions–can be effectively mitigated. When weather data analysis predicts that generation volume will fall below expectations, the VPP compensates either by releasing stored energy from a nearby ESS or by reducing power consumption on the demand side, such as factories, buildings and households.

Furthermore, VPPs can resolve curtailment issues that occur when renewable supply heavily outweighs demand. The curtailment is the deliberate shutting down of generators during periods of massive oversupply to keep the grid stable. However, frequently turning generators off and on leads to inefficiencies. That is where a VPP comes in. It reduces the need for curtailment by routing over-generated power into an ESS or by increasing power consumption on the demand side.

Ultimately, ESS is what makes renewable energy controllable through the power of VPP. SBB(Samsung Battery Box) is SAMSUNG SDI’s all-in-one battery solution for ESS that houses battery cells, modules, and racks in a 20-foot container, allowing immediate use once connected to the grid. The product lineup includes the SBB 1.5 and SBB 1.7, which adopt NCA(Nickel, Cobalt, Aluminum) battery cells and the SBB 2.0, which utilizes LFP (Lithium, Iron, Phosphate) battery cells, meeting the diverse needs of customers.

[SAMSUNG SDI SBB lineup]

The system incorporates No TP(No-Thermal Propagation) technology that prevents heat propagation, as well as EDI(Enhanced Direct Injection) technology, where extinguishing agents are directly sprayed onto the exact location where an issue occurs. Safety is further enhanced by an AI-based fire prevention software, SBI(Samsung Battery Intelligence), which is integrated into SBB. SBI diagnoses battery status and detects issues in advance, ultimately providing the optimal ESS operating solution.

With these advancements, SAMSUNG SDI empowers customers to maintain reliable power systems through ESS battery solutions tailored to their exact needs.