HMS Networks Releases Several Communication Solutions for the Expanding Battery Market
April 05, 2022
News
Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) require communication capabilities to connect to batteries and peripheral components, communicate with the power grid, monitor systems remotely, and maybe one of the keys to solve the energy crisis and make the world more sustainable.
Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)
Green energy is not always accessible, large batteries can make it possible to store energy to use when there is less sun or wind. BESS are made up of battery cells which are combined into battery packs that in turn, can then be combined into containers that can make up battery packs the size of several football fields. The systems use new or recycled batteries and combine different components. However, these large battery parks need a lot of communication capabilities to work.
The battery market has been spearheaded by the car industry, and CAN is the communication standard of choice in a multitude of systems. HMS offers an extensive portfolio of communication solutions via the Ixxat brand for:
- PC connection
- Networking
- Line extension
- Galvanic isolation
Networking gateways Battery Energy Storage Systems often combine a variety of different equipment from different industries within a single application – batteries, BMS, PLCs, fire detection units or air conditioning.
To combine various components, it is necessary to interconnect various protocols and network standards with CAN, Modbus, BACnet, KNX and other protocols that can be easily linked via intelligent gateways from HMS. These gateways can selectively filter, map and, if necessary, manipulate the data to realize the best possible data exchange.
According to HMS, Cloud/SCADA connectivity and remote access Intelligent networking is also required to connect to cloud solutions or SCADA systems. This connection can be made by using SG (Smart Grid) gateways from HMS that support both energy and industrial fieldbus protocols, as well as protocols required for cloud connection.
The SG gateways enable centralized control as well as remote access for predictive maintenance, logging or data visualization using the i4SCADA solution from the HMS-owned company WEBfactory. The SG gateways also provide robust cybersecurity features, such as firewall, OpenVPN®, TLS encryption and user management.
“We see a rapidly growing demand for communication solutions in Battery Energy Storage Systems as society as a whole is turning to more sustainable energy sources such as wind and solar,” says Alexander Hess, General Manager at HMS Business Unit Ixxat. “Communication is needed to get BESS systems to work, and HMS offers an extensive portfolio of industrial communication solutions to solve the communication issues at hand in these systems.”
For more information, visit ixxat.com.
Chad Cox. Production Editor, Embedded Computing Design, has responsibilities that include handling the news cycle, newsletters, social media, and advertising. Chad graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a B.A. in Cultural and Analytical Literature.
