ACCURATE battery intelligence has launched Warranty Tracker, a new feature for battery energy storage owners that increases transparency about who must pay for damaged equipment. This feature also saves costs by making it easier for owners to identify problems and submit successful claims.
Performance guarantees for battery energy storage systems (BESS) promise high levels of power output, energy availability and throughput if operators adhere to a strict set of requirements and restrictions. These warranties require operating conditions that, if exceeded, may result in a penalty that reduces warranty coverage or, in some cases, voids the warranty entirely. For example, if the batteries exceed a temperature or voltage level that exceeds the manufacturer’s specified design limits, the warranty may be void.
Batteries for an electricity-scale energy storage system cost tens of millions of dollars, which poses significant risk to the balance sheet. Yet many warranties are long documents that are extremely complex and difficult to understand and from which the supplier can benefit. Until recently, many BESS owners also relied on the supplier to monitor their batteries, creating a conflict of interest.
ACCURE’s Warranty Tracker solves this problem by continuously monitoring the BESS using predictive analytics technology. The platform analyzes battery data, identifies any operational issues such as temperatures or voltage levels that could lead to exceeding warranty limits, and alerts the BESS operator. Once notified, the operator can determine the cause of the problem, correct the situation and avoid warranty violation.
“Warranty monitoring starts at day zero – not year zero or year one – day zero,” says Ian Johnston, VP of engineering at esVolta, owner and operator of energy storage systems. “ACCURE gives us an independent, third-party perspective, allowing us to ensure our batteries perform well within warranty parameters.”
ACCURE’s predictive battery analytics platform combines machine learning with large amounts of battery data to provide insights into battery safety, performance and longevity. The platform continuously monitors storage systems, identifies and diagnoses any defects or operational issues, and recommends corrective actions to reduce the risk of thermal flooding and increase battery yield.
The Warranty Tracker delivers value by helping BESS operators identify whether a system issue stems from a vendor error and is covered by warranty. BESS owners and operators can use ACCURE’s remote oversight to challenge suppliers who deny their claims and avoid paying for battery replacements or related equipment when something goes wrong.
“Battery equipment owners must navigate complex and sometimes conflicting warranties between multiple suppliers, making it challenging to identify and enforce claims when issues arise,” said Kai-Philipp Kairies, CEO and co-founder of ACCURE . “With an independent provider monitoring their batteries, energy storage owners can sleep well at night knowing their assets are fully protected.”
News item from ACCURE