Transportation and Mobility Research
EDGES: Enabling Distributed Generation Energy Storage Model

EDGES: Enabling Distributed Generation Energy Storage Model

NREL's EDGES model configures optimal, cost-effective behind-the-meter-storage (BTMS) and distributed generation systems based on the weather patterns, building type, and utility rate structure of potential electric vehicle (EV) charging sites.

EDGES reduces the costs and increases the resilience of high-energy demand systems and helps answer a key question: How can behind-the-meter energy storage and distributed generation create cost savings and increase grid resiliency in response to large demands for electricity?

As NREL's premier BTMS analysis tool, EDGES optimizes these system designs to mitigate the costs and grid impacts of large demands for electricity through integrated thermal and battery energy storage with on-site power generation. Examples of applications include data centers, vehicle and aircraft charging, large industrial manufacturing facilities, and remote off-grid operations.

NREL analysts work directly with business and industry partners to meet cost and performance targets for tailored BTMS solutions, focusing on:

Levelized cost of charging (LCOC)
Total system energy use and efficiency
Resiliency and flexibility of the storage system.

Approach and Uses

Increased energy demands may strain grid infrastructure and buildings operations. EDGES offers a solution by streamlining BTMS system designs so stakeholders can access the energy they need, when they need it, at cost-effective prices.

During the pre-process stage, researchers generate baseline load profiles for the operation being studied. Then, leveraging NREL's high-performance supercomputing and advanced visualization techniques, EDGES determines the most affordable BTMS design across these parameters:

Weather patterns – Building energy use, battery conditioning, battery lifetime, EV efficiency
Utility rate structures – Demand and energy charges
Building type – Energy demand profiles, space limitations, population served
Capital costs – Stationary batteries, thermal energy storage, electric vehicle charging equipment, photovoltaic and conventional generators, power electronics, electricity distribution
Controls algorithm – When to dispatch stationary battery and thermal energy storage
Storage operation – Battery and thermal energy storage state-of-charge, discharge and charge rate, operating temperature.
Existing connection to the energy grid – Potential costs for needed infrastructure improvement
Resiliency of the system – Operation during times of power outages.

Data visualization graph compares the impact of the BTMS system based on the size of solar panel PV (kilowatt) and the size of battery (kilowatt hours) to determine the minimum LCOC with the system (cents/kilowatt). Without the system, the LCOC is 40.9, and the minimum LCOC with the system is 29.0. — Example EDGES results: Impact of the use of BTMS and photovoltaics to reduce utility costs and the cost of EV fast charging.

Example EDGES results: Daily profile of energy flows within the BTMS system, showing how batteries and thermal energy storage are dispatched to reduce utility costs and the cost of EV fast charging.