NEC Energy Solutions (NEC ES), a subsidiary of NEC Corporation, introduced the DSS™, a new distributed energy storage platform and a significant step into the commercial and industrial (C&I) energy storage segment, enabling its partners to offer distributed energy management services. As one of the most trusted global suppliers of energy storage technology, NEC ES is offering the DSS platform with proven lithium-ion battery storage technology, power conversion, and advanced controls software in a range of flexible outdoor-rated configurations that are smaller, simpler, smarter and safer than competitive products.

The DSS platform is optimized to support advanced service creation at the grid edge, whether in front or behind the meter, for C&I enterprises and distribution utilities. It simplifies the deployment of emerging storage-based services for C&I enterprises to optimize energy costs and increase energy resiliency, while distribution utilities benefit from simplified use of storage to smooth intermittent distributed renewable generation, shave grid demand peaks, achieve more efficient system utilization, and control distributed assets. The DSS platform is scalable from 85kWh to 510kWh of energy storage capacity and offers from 30kW up to 650kW of power capability. The featured NEC Energy Solutions AEROS® controls software package will offer operating modes that allow the DSS platform to perform a wide variety of applications, for example, by switching from cost savings by demand charge management to revenue earning by providing system services.

“We have long understood the value of energy storage at the edge of the grid,” said Bud Collins, CEO of NEC Energy Solutions. “Our new DSS platform enables our customers to easily offer a host of new energy management services to their C&I enterprises in the sub-megawatt scale. The platform takes away the complexity of energy storage system design while offering safety and reliability, allowing our customers to focus on creating new energy management business models.”

The DSS platform will be sold and supported by a global partner network with expertise in renewable energy, energy management, power quality, microgrids and energy development. Partner recruitment has already begun in North America, EMEA and will continue worldwide in preparation for the commercial availability of the NEC ES DSS energy storage platform, which is expected in Q1 2017 for North America and rolling out globally later in the year.

“The fully-integrated DSS system delivers simplicity, flexibility and reliability in a cost-effective package. This brings emerging storage-based energy services to the mainstream, and allows us to offer new services to our customer base,” said Norm Nielsen, CEO of Chico Electric, a leading PV installer and electrical design-build contracting company located in California, one of the key markets for distributed energy storage systems.

“We are combining energy storage and demand response strategies to maximise the value of our C&I customers’ flexible demand. This demand-side flexibility is paving the way for a completely different electricity market, one which is powered by renewable energy and puts consumers in charge of how, when and from where they consume their energy. Products like this are key to unlocking the benefits to businesses and our electricity system as a whole,” said David Hill, Managing Director, Storage at Open Energi, a leading energy services and demand response provider in the United Kingdom.

As a standardized, UL safety-certified, AC-ready system including power conversion system, the DSS product is preconfigured in outdoor-rated enclosures, compliant with all relevant regulatory and environmental requirements, can easily be installed by a licensed electrician, and will be backed by up to a 10 year product warranty. NEC Energy Solutions is actively seeking additional partners and resellers for the DSS distributed storage solution.