Key points
- Define the grid service before selecting the technology.
- Compare power, energy, duration, response, cycles and safety.
- Use lifecycle cost and degradation assumptions, not only upfront price.
Start with the service
Frequency response, peak shifting, renewable firming, backup, congestion relief and black start have different technical requirements.
Power and energy are different
A 100 MW system describes power. Its MWh rating describes stored energy and duration. Both are necessary to understand the service.
Safety and integration
Site design, thermal management, fire protection, grid codes, controls, cybersecurity and emergency response belong in the evaluation.
Economics over the lifecycle
Capital cost, augmentation, degradation, efficiency, replacement, financing and revenue stacking determine the economic result.
| Criterion | Question | Required evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Service | What grid problem is being solved? | Load, network and operational study |
| Duration | How long must full output be sustained? | MW and MWh specification |
| Safety | How are hazards controlled? | Standards, design and emergency plan |
| Lifecycle | How does performance change? | Degradation, cycling and augmentation model |
Relevant source links: BPDB fuel-wise capacity · BPDB daily generation archive · VOLTLENS standards.
Where this article describes a framework or proposed workflow, it is clearly identified as VOLTLENS analysis rather than an official claim.