A real case of peak shaving and demand management
The advance of battery energy storage systems (BESS) has accelerated worldwide in recent years. However, as these systems become more common, a new challenge arises: ensuring that they operate efficiently within the rules and limitations of the power system.
More than installing a BESS, the true value lies in how it is operated.
This case presents how Automa acted in the implementation of an energy management system (EMS) to enable the efficient use of a BESS, focusing on demand control and the reduction of operational costs. The developed solution includes field integration with several critical pieces of equipment, including batteries, power conversion systems (PCS), protection relays and meters, ensuring reliable communication and coordinated operation of the entire system. This is a highly critical project, since the BESS plays an essential role in energy supply, being responsible for supporting the supply of an entire city.
The project
The project’s main objective was to operate the storage system efficiently during peak hours, respecting the contracted demand.
This scenario brings a direct risk to the customer:
- exceeding demand
- penalties applied by the utility
- lack of predictability in energy costs
Without a well-defined operational strategy, the BESS alone would not be enough to mitigate these risks.
The solution: EMS as a layer of intelligence
Automa was responsible for implementing its EMS (Energy Management System), acting as the operational intelligence layer of the system.
The EMS enabled:
- real-time monitoring of electrical variables
- automated control of charging and discharging
- dynamic demand management
- data-driven decision-making based on operational data
This layer was essential to transform the BESS into an efficient operational asset.
The strategy applied: peak shaving
The main strategy adopted was peak shaving during peak hours.
The operating logic was structured as follows:
- charging the system throughout the day, respecting the contracted demand
- controlled discharge during peak hours
- dynamic adjustment according to consumption variations
This control made it possible to avoid exceeding the contracted demand, reducing the risk of penalties and keeping the operation within the established limits.
Operational results
With the implementation of the EMS and the peak shaving strategy, the system began to operate in a more efficient and predictable way.
The main results were:
- reduced risk of fines for exceeding demand
- greater predictability of energy costs
- better use of the storage system
- a more stable and controlled operation
In practice, the BESS ceased to be merely a technical asset and began to act as an active tool for energy management.
Evolution of the project
In addition to the current delivery, the system architecture already considers its evolution toward new levels of integration and intelligence.
Automa is advancing in the development of:
- operation as a Virtual Power Plant (VPP)
- integration with the National System Operator (ONS)
These advances expand the role of the system, allowing greater flexibility and active participation in the power system.
The growth in the use of BESS brings an important change to the sector: the focus is no longer only on infrastructure and shifts to operation.
Projects like this show that energy efficiency depends directly on the ability to monitor, decide and act in real time.
Automa’s EMS consolidates this role by transforming data into operational decisions, ensuring efficiency, security and predictability.
Want to understand how to apply this logic to your operation?
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