From ESS News
US.-based Fluence Energy has launched its latest grid-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) solution Smartstack, featuring an innovative design that facilitates logistics and maintenance, while delivering high energy density.
The system features 314 Ah cells and offers up to 7.5 MWh of energy storage. Its patent-pending architecture breaks away from the industry standard 20-foot container splitting the system into units with more easily transportable weight and dimensions.
Driven by the demand for higher efficiency and cost reduction, grid-scale BESS are increasingly featuring high-capacity cells (3XX Ah and beyond). However, this has given rise to new challenges on the logistics front, particularly on the European soil, where there is a limit of 40 tons for vehicles on the roads in many countries.
For instance, the most energy dense utility-scale BESS product launched to date is China-based Envision’s 8 MWh system using 700 Ah lithium iron phosphate battery cells. This container weighs around 55 tons.
With its latest product, Fluence is proposing new architecture which includes two components. One is Smart Skid, a centralized electrical and control command center. It integrates advanced cooling equipment, power control system hardware, all cabling, and comprehensive monitoring capabilities.
The second component is pods, which sit atop the Smart Skid and contain the system’s battery cells with integrated sensors. Pods support cells from multiple vendors and are designed to be swapped with replacement units during maintenance or technology upgrades to maximize system availability.
Smart Skid measures 7315 mm x 2200 mm x 1524 mm and weighs 11 tons. One pod measures 1762 mm x 2528 mm x 2550 mm and weighs 15.5 tons.
“Backed by our industry-leading expertise developing and deploying innovative solutions globally, Smartstack reimagines how systems are designed, built, and maintained,” said Fluence President & CEO Julian Nebreda. “By addressing critical challenges like supply chain shipping constraints, product density, serviceability, and modularity, we are delivering a platform that is more scalable and easier to operate than competing solutions. This translates to superior project economics for our customers.”
Finally, the modular design of Smartstack enables a more agile and cost-effective supply chain localization strategy, Fluence argues. It allows components to be sourced or manufactured regionally to optimize availability, cost, and compliance while enhancing resilience against geopolitical and logistical disruptions.
While the offer of DC blocks is much bigger today, Smartstack is an AC block, which means a container with both battery and power conversion system (PCS) integrated inside. This product type was pioneered by Tesla, in the company’s 2022 Megapack redesign. More recently, Sungrow, Rimac and Wartsila have also launched their AC block solutions.
According to Fluence, its new system design enables density approximately 30% higher than currently available AC-based systems as well as faster and easier installation.
The discharge duration of Smartstack can be configured to two or four hours as well as longer six- and eight-hour durations. The liquid-cooled system has a DC voltage of 1500 V and promises availability of up to 99%.
The new platform integrates the same safety features as Fluence’s Gridstack products which includes large-scale fire testing certification. The battery enclosure has IP 55 rating. The operating temperature range is from -20ºC to +55ºC and can be even -30ºC to +55ºC with an additionally installed cold weather kit.
Highlighting the importance of this platform from an Indian standpoint, Dhanya Rajeswaran, global vice president and country managing director for India, Fluence, said, “India stands at a pivotal moment in its renewable energy transition, and the need for advanced, scalable storage solutions has never been greater. At Fluence’s Global Innovation Center (GIC) in Bangalore, we are driving this transformation by developing cutting-edge technologies that redefine energy storage.”
“Smartstack with its AI-enabled system intelligence and industry-leading cybersecurity, is a breakthrough innovation engineered to maximize energy density, optimize land use, and enable seamless deployment at scale. With 40% of the cross-functional team, including product engineering and supply chain, based in India and the prototype being built here, we are proud to play a pivotal role in delivering globally competitive, locally driven solutions that will accelerate the clean energy transition.”
Smartstack is now commercially available for grid-scale applications worldwide with customer deliveries scheduled to begin in the last quarter of 2025.
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