Electrical Power & Protection


Safeguarding an energy storage system for renewable energy

March 2024 Electrical Power & Protection

Following the trend toward decarbonising the global economy, a grid-level energy storage system (ESS) builder is expanding its ESS capacity for renewable energy. Its mission is to provide a reliable and affordable ESS, as this is key for grid operators to be able to balance power demand and supply during peak and off-peak times.

System requirements

The energy management system (EMS) monitors operations of the ESS in real time. It aggregates the data collected from the power conversion system (PCS) and battery management system (BMS) containers. The entire network needs to be protected from unauthorised access and any unexpected activity that may disrupt operations. The security mechanisms need to be designed when containers are being manufactured in the plants to ensure the whole system can be efficiently deployed to the farm and grid. As an ESS is often located in remote harsh environments, it is challenging to ensure reliability and security.

Moxa solution

To protect the communications between the power plant controller and the PCS and BMS containers, RJ Connect suggested stateful firewalls with Modbus deep packet inspection (DPI) deployed in between. The EDR-810 industrial secure routers build the security boundary, and the Modbus DPI function safeguards the Modbus communication in-between the systems. With an all-in-one firewall/NAT/VPN/switch and network redundancy functions, the EDR-810 can help system integrators design the network architecture and expand connections more efficiently.

The EDR-810 is built to operate reliably on the harshest uncrewed remote solar/wind farms in dry and hot deserts, and in brutal offshore weather conditions, even in the middle of the Arctic winter.


Credit(s)



Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page

Further reading:

The climate change reality in South Africa: An engineer’s call to action
Electrical Power & Protection
This year’s World Engineering Day on 4 March was a powerful reminder of the critical role engineers play in driving progress toward the sustainable development goals.

Read more...
Empowering Africa’s renewable energy future
Electrical Power & Protection
As a global leader in renewable energy technology, SUNGROW has pioneered sustainable power solutions for over 28 years. At the recent Africa Energy Indaba 2025, SUNGROW showcased its advanced energy solutions designed to meet the diverse needs of the African continent.

Read more...
The role of electromechanical solutions in supporting Africa’s industrial growth
Electrical Power & Protection
Africa’s industries are transforming rapidly. Fuelled by a huge demand for energy connectivity, better infrastructure, increased manufacturing and responsible resource management, electromechanical solutions are key to shaping this growth, allowing industries to scale up their operations efficiently and sustainably.

Read more...
Empowering South Africa’s IPPs for a renewable future
Electrical Power & Protection
Many crucial parts of the economy of the future will be hugely energy intensive, foremost amongst which will be electrified transport and the large data processing required by automation and AI. Successful economies will be those that can ensure businesses and investors have access to a stable supply of low-cost renewable energy. South Africa has the opportunity to become a global leader in this regard.

Read more...
Sustainable mining operations escalate as demand for critical materials to double
Electrical Power & Protection
The mining sector is at the forefront of the energy transition due to its role in extracting essential materials and minerals necessary for green technologies. As demand for renewable energy, electric vehicles and other sustainable technologies increases exponentially, so will the demand for these necessary materials.

Read more...
Monitoring partial discharge on medium voltage switchgear
Schneider Electric South Africa Electrical Power & Protection
Schneider Electric South Africa has launched its EcoStruxure Service Plan (ESP) in the Anglophone African region for medium voltage (MV) switchgear

Read more...
AI accelerates energy transformation
RJ Connect IT in Manufacturing
With the rapid expansion of generative AI applications, data centre power demand is reaching unprecedented levels.

Read more...
Raptor switches
Phoenix Contact Electrical Power & Protection
The Phoenix Contact Raptor switches enable reliable and safe operation in extreme ambient conditions. The managed switch portfolio meets the stringent requirements of IEC 61850-3 and IEEE 1613 standards and is ideal for critical infrastructure and power supply applications.

Read more...
Prevent cyber attacks
RJ Connect IT in Manufacturing
The EDR-G9010 Series delivers advanced industrial networking with multi-port secure routing, firewall/NAT/VPN, and managed Layer 2 switching.

Read more...
Electrical safety warning indicators
Electrical Power & Protection
Remlive electrical safety warning indicators have been keeping the workplace safe for more than 25 years.

Read more...