Key Takeaways
- Viridi has announced a strategic partnership with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), a U.S. Department of Energy national lab, to support research into next-generation grid technologies.
- Viridi’s RPS 150 battery energy storage system (BESS) was installed at ORNL’s Grid Research Innovation and Development Center (GRID-C) Power Distribution Field Test Site.
- ORNL integrated its own converter system with Viridi’s battery to validate control technology developed first in an indoor lab and now tested on a live grid with real resources.
- Testing has concluded, and ORNL is expected to present the project’s findings in the coming months, with additional joint projects planned.
- Viridi CEO Jon M. Williams called the selection “a milestone for Viridi and a validation” of the company’s fail-safe battery technology.
Viridi’s Battery System Joins ORNL Grid Research
Viridi, a maker of fail-safe battery energy storage systems, has announced a strategic partnership with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to support research into next-generation utility grid technologies aimed at improving grid resilience and reliability. As part of the partnership, Viridi’s BESS was selected and installed at ORNL’s Grid Research Innovation and Development Center (GRID-C) as part of the testing platform for a Department of Energy resource integration and evaluation project.
From Lab Testing to a Live Grid Environment
The research began with ORNL developing a system for controlling clusters of grid resources to meet utility needs, first tested indoors using emulated energy sources and battery storage. Moving to a live grid with real equipment was necessary to catch issues that only emerge from complex equipment interactions and real-world battery charging dynamics. Viridi’s RPS 150 system was installed at GRID-C’s Power Distribution Field Test Site, where ORNL integrated its converter system with the battery to validate the technology; testing has now concluded.
Viridi and ORNL on the Partnership’s Significance
“This project bridges an important gap by integrating real electrical equipment to understand realistic performance challenges, proving the robustness of ORNL’s new control strategies and AC/DC architecture for supporting the future grid,” said Dr. Madhu Sudhan Chinthavali, Electrical Systems Integration Program Manager at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. “Viridi’s battery integrated seamlessly with our management system, and its engineering team supported our researchers throughout testing and integration, making them a valuable partner.”
“Being selected by Oak Ridge National Laboratory to support the project is a milestone for Viridi and a validation of what we have built,” said Jon M. Williams, CEO of Viridi. “When a DOE national lab chooses your technology to support their research, it is the highest bar a battery system can meet.” The collaboration marks the start of an ongoing research relationship between Viridi and ORNL, with additional joint projects planned.
