The Challenge

ArchKey Sprig needed an energy storage solution for a high school in Northern California that could deliver meaningful utility bill savings while operating under strict non-export requirements. Served by the local electric utility, the site was expected to face significant demand charges and fluctuating time-of-use rates, which made simple charge and discharge schedules insufficient for capturing real value from the battery system. This made advanced dispatch capabilities critical to capturing economic value from the battery system. 

Beyond bill savings, the project was intended to participate in California demand response programs, including DSGS and DRAM, adding another layer of complexity. The battery needed to respond to external dispatch signals without exporting power or creating new demand peaks. The system also required manual override capabilities to support demand response events, scheduled service, and operational flexibility without disrupting daily site operations. ArchKey Sprig needed a solution that could dynamically balance economic optimization, regulatory compliance, and grid services participation within a single control framework. 

The Solution

ArchKey Sprig deployed a 50 kW / 186 kWh Socomec HES L battery energy storage system controlled by Energy Toolbase’s ETB Controller powered by Acumen AI™. The grid-tied, AC-coupled system was configured as non-export and designed to optimize site economics without introducing operational or regulatory risk. Leveraging dynamic economic dispatch, Acumen AI communicates directly with the Socomec battery system to issue real-time charge and discharge commands based on site load, utility pricing, PV production, and site-specific constraints. ETB Controller autonomously determines the most cost-effective operating strategy, including demand peak shaving and time-of-use arbitrage. 

To support demand response participation, the system integrated with Leap via API, enabling automated responses to CAISO DSGS and DRAM dispatch events. When needed, operators can place the system into manual mode through the ETB Monitor platform to support demand response events, scheduled maintenance, or other operational requirements. All monitoring, command execution, and data logging are handled by Acumen AI and displayed in ETB Monitor, providing ongoing visibility into system performance and dispatch behavior.