NREL Behind the Meter Storage

CLIENT | OWNER:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory

PROJECT LOCATION:
Broomfield, CO

KEY WORDS:
Arc Flash Analysis, As-Builting, Control Room, Cost Opinions, Energy Modeling, Laboratories, Medium Voltage, Research Facility, Short Circuit Study, Transit

This project advances high-power electric vehicle (EV) charging by developing a megawatt-scale battery emulation framework at the Flatirons Campus. The system enables real-time testing of EV charging scenarios, focusing on integration with renewable energy and grid infrastructure.

At its core is a custom-designed MWh-scale lithium-ion battery emulator that replicates the dynamic behavior of various battery chemistries used in heavy-duty vehicles and stationary storage. Using Digital Real-Time Simulators, hardware-in-the-loop techniques, and grid simulators, the team built a robust platform for evaluating charge/discharge cycles and system-level interactions.

This infrastructure supports research in Vehicle Grid Integration, Behind-the-Meter assets, and Distributed Energy Resource applications, paving the way for more innovative and resilient EV-grid ecosystems.