Storing up excellence: The Assured Services team covers all the bases for BESS projects
In the rapidly growing energy storage market, having a reliable and responsive field services team is crucial for the success of a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project. To meet the rising demand, IHI Terrasun created Assured Servicestm - a comprehensive suite of solutions carefully designed to ensure the optimal performance and longevity of energy storage installation.
What does Assured Services do? This article covers this comprehensive field services solution for BESS projects and reflects on the challenges faced by energy storage developers in securing dependable service teams.
The Essence of Assured Services
The primary goal of Assured Services is to enable customers to operate their solar and energy assets efficiently and achieve their expected results on a day-to-day basis. Assured Services is designed with a holistic approach to maintaining and optimizing energy storage systems. It encompasses a range of services, including preventative maintenance, corrective maintenance, and performance guarantees. Last year our team completed 770 predictive maintenance tasks and over 3000 corrective maintenance tasks.
One of the standout features of Assured Services is its focus on service excellence. The team is dedicated to exceeding customer expectations by adhering to key metrics and operational goals set annually: in 2024 our team’s average ticket response time was only 64 minutes, with the fastest ticket response time being one minute. This commitment to excellence ensures that customers receive the highest level of service and support, which is essential for the smooth operation of their energy storage systems.
The Comprehensive Nature of Assured Services
Assured Services is not just about fixing problems when they arise; it is about preventing issues before they occur. The team employs predictive analytics and monitoring tools to continuously assess the performance of energy storage systems. This proactive approach allows for early detection of potential issues, enabling timely interventions that minimize downtime and maximize system efficiency.
Moreover, Assured Services includes a robust training program for its team members with over 230 hours invested in field employee training and 8 of our employees trained in level 1 PCS maintenance. By investing heavily in training, IHI Terrasun ensures that its service team is well-equipped to handle any situation that may arise. This training covers various aspects of energy storage systems, including battery use, storage, and solar technologies. The result is a team of experts who can provide reliable and effective support to customers.
The Value for Energy Storage Developers
The value of Assured Services lies in its ability to optimize the performance and reliability of their systems. Energy storage projects are significant investments, and any downtime can result in substantial financial loss. Assured Services helps mitigate this risk by ensuring that systems are always operating at their best.
Additionally, the comprehensive nature of Assured Services means that developers do not need to worry about piecemeal solutions. Instead, they receive a complete package that covers all aspects of system maintenance and optimization. This integrated approach is particularly beneficial for large and complex projects, where coordination between different service providers can be challenging.
Common challenges for BESS project O&M: piecemealing solution providers can lead to scope gaps
Energy storage developers often face several challenges in securing reliable and responsive service teams. One of the primary issues is the lack of integration between providers for different operational needs: field services, power plant controls management, networking and cyber security. In addition, some developers choose separate teams for power plant software, system integration, and operational services. This fragmented approach can lead to inefficiencies, delays, and gaps in scope coverage as different teams may not communicate effectively with each other to cover the full project needs.
Energy storage systems are complex and maintaining them requires a deep understanding of various technologies and components. Finding service teams with the necessary skills and experience can be difficult, especially as the demand for energy storage solutions continues to grow, but Assured Services can provide that full and complete coverage for everything a BESS project needs to operate efficiently and safety for decades.
The IHI Terrasun Advantage
IHI Terrasun addresses project challenges by leveraging internal resources and investing in training, ensuring that our services team is well-prepared to handle any situation.
Furthermore, the close integration of power plant software management and analytics into the Assured Services program provides a significant advantage. IHI Terrasun has developed its own analytics and controls platform, which enables the Assured Services team to continuously learn from field operations and incorporate these learnings into maintenance strategies and into the operational software. This real-time feedback loop ensures that the team can respond quickly to any issues and optimize system performance.
Assured Services by IHI Terrasun offers a comprehensive and reliable solution for energy storage developers. By focusing on service excellence, predictive maintenance, and continuous learning, the program ensures that energy storage systems operate at their best. This can maximize the financial return on investment and provide peace of mind to developers, knowing that their systems are in capable hands.
