ACCURE Battery Intelligence has launched Warranty Tracker, a new feature for battery energy storage owners that increases transparency around who needs to pay for damaged equipment. This feature also saves costs by making it easier for owners to detect issues and file successful claims.
Performance warranties 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 trigger a penalty that reduces warranty coverage or, in some cases, void the warranty entirely. For example, if the batteries exceed temperature or voltage levels beyond the design limits specified by the supplier, the warranty may be voided.
Batteries for a grid-scale energy storage system cost tens of millions of dollars, adding significant risk to the balance sheet. Yet many warranties are lengthy documents that are extremely complex, difficult to understand and predisposed to benefit the supplier. Until recently, many BESS owners also relied on the supplier to monitor their batteries, which created 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 might lead to exceeding the warranty limits, and alerts the BESS operator. Once notified, the operator can determine the cause of the issue, remedy the situation and avoid violating the warranty.
“Warranty monitoring starts on Day Zero — not Year Zero or Year One — Day Zero,” said Ian Johnston, VP of engineering at esVolta, an owner and operator of energy storage systems. “ACCURE gives us an independent, third-party perspective, ensuring our batteries operate well within warranty parameters.”
ACCURE’s predictive battery analytics platform combines machine learning with large amounts of battery data to deliver insights into battery safety, performance, and lifetime. The platform continuously monitors the storage systems, identifies and diagnoses any defects or operational problems, and recommends corrective actions to reduce the risk of thermal runaway and increase battery output.
The Warranty Tracker delivers value by helping BESS operators identify whether a system issue stems from a supplier defect and is covered under warranty. BESS owners and operators can use ACCURE’s third-party oversight to challenge suppliers who deny their claims and avoid paying for replacing batteries or related equipment if something goes wrong.
“Battery asset owners navigate complex, and sometimes conflicting, warranties among 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 that their assets are fully protected.”
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