Welcome to APVIA!
中文
APVIA

New digital twin tech promises significant advancement in BESS performance management

Source：www.ess-news.com

The new digital twin technology from Brussels-based 3E, developed in partnership with the Free University of Brussels (VUB) as part of the EU-funded FULLEST project, reveals a significant oversight in how Europe’s utility-scale battery storage systems are managed. While 80% of operators depend solely on battery management systems (BMS) for performance management, 3E’s solution identified a 4% discrepancy between reported and actual battery health – enough to affect both operations and revenue-making potential.

By Marija Maisch Aug 25, 2025

Image: pv magazine

Brussels-based 3E, a SaaS and advisory company for the renewable energy sector, has reported a new breakthrough from its EU-funded Flexible Utility-Scale Energy Storage (FULLEST) project, developed in partnership with the Free University of Brussels (VUB), revealing a critical oversight in how utility-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS) are managed across Europe.

The research shows that up to 80% of operators rely solely on battery management systems (BMS) to assess system health, which can potentially mask signs of degradation. In one pilot project, 3E’s digital twin technology detected a 4% discrepancy between reported and actual battery health – enough to shift dispatch decisions, affect warranty claims, and impact long-term revenue. Such blind spots pose not just technical challenges, but growing financial and system-level risks.

According to 3E, the digital twin technology, now integrated into the company’s SynaptiQ platform, demonstrates superior accuracy compared to traditional BMS approaches through its physics-based foundation. 

The digital twin uses PyBAMM (Python Battery Mathematical Modelling) to implement Single Particle Model (SPM) with solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer growth simulation. This approach captures the fundamental physics of battery degradation, particularly the development of SEI layers that consume lithium ions and increase resistance.

The system processes voltage, current, and temperature data from power converter system (PCS) level measurements, normalizing them to cell level for accurate modelling. The physics-based approach ensures continuous synchronization between the digital and physical twins..

To enable real-time use, the team developed models 10 times faster than full-order versions. The SPM simulates a full day of PCS operation in just 0.5 seconds, while preserving key battery behaviors like diffusion, charge transfer, and aging.

In a real-world application, project partners have tested the technology with second-life batteries. Namely, VUB fitted the aging model using data from an extensive test campaign on cells removed from a Porsche Taycan, sourced through Revolta’s second-life program. Tests covered various aging conditions – fixed C-rates and dynamic loads – mimicking real grid services like voltage and frequency control.

According to 3E, the model tracked aging with high accuracy, showing less than 1% error over one year. A BESS using these second-life cells is now monitored in SynaptiQ, where the digital twin provides validated State of Health (SoH) estimates—unlike the BMS, which inaccurately reported a constant 100%, the company said.

The FULLEST project brought together five partners, each contributing key expertise. 3E led the integration into SynaptiQ and handled real-world data challenges, while VUB provided the scientific backbone through electrochemical modeling. Sirris added AI-driven anomaly detection and performance optimization. Revolta supplied operational data for validation, and Eneco ensured the solution met grid and market requirements.