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Leveraging Energy Storage to Accelerate Integration of Data Center Loads

Ref C4_10715_2026 • 2026
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Summary

This paper examines how energy storage systems (ESS) can help utilities and data center operators manage fast-growing, artificial-intelligence-driven data center loads while mitigating potential impacts on grid reliability. It presents a plug-and-play power hardware-in-the-loop

(PHIL) testbed that pairs multiple battery chemistries and inverter platforms with a real-time digital simulator model to evaluate the performance of inverter-based ESS across type, application, and advanced test categories. The advanced tests, which form the primary focus of this paper, investigate system performance under varying grid-strength conditions while serving artificial intelligence workloads. Test results show that ESS can reduce upstream transformer overload and buffer the grid from rapid load swings, but the benefit is limited by controller– inverter communication delays. The study also finds that Volt-VAR control can significantly reduce voltage flicker, with its performance influenced by inverter control settings. The paper concludes by summarizing the effectiveness of battery ESS (BESS) across the different test cases and outlining practical next steps, including improved control integration, enhanced gridforming functionality, and the evaluation of supercapacitors within the same PHIL framework.

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Additional informations

Publication type Session Materials
Reference C4_10715_2026
Publication year
Publisher CIGRE
Country United States of America
Study committees
  • Power system technical performance (C4)
File size 1 MB
Price for non member 30 €
Price for member 30 €

Authors

MOROVATI Samaneh - Quanta Technology, United States of America; KITTANEH Omar - Quanta Technology, Canada; EMA Temitope - Quanta Technology, Canada; ZAMANI Amin - Quanta Technology, Canada; KRUGER Johannes - Quanta Technology, Canada; WILTSHIRE John - Meta Platforms Inc., Ireland; ROSENFELD Ben - Meta Platforms Inc., United States of America; VASILIC Slavko - Meta Platforms Inc., United States of America; CORHODZIC Selver - Meta Platforms Inc., United States of America; BROCILO Drazena - Meta Platforms Inc., United States of America

Keywords

Energy Storage System - Data Center - Grid Support - Hardware-in-the-Loop

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Leveraging Energy Storage to Accelerate Integration of Data Center Loads