The Challenge

GenPro Energy Solutions, an energy provider based in Piedmont, South Dakota, has been using Energy Toolbase’s modeling software, ETB Developer, for over seven years to design solar projects and calculate avoided costs. When tasked with optimizing energy usage and reducing electricity expenses for a manufacturing facility in Gering, Nebraska, GenPro encountered new challenges. Despite the facility having an 858 kW PV array, it struggled with high peak demand charges and inefficient energy management, leaving significant savings on the table. To address these issues, the facility needed an energy storage system (ESS) paired with intelligent control software to better manage energy demand during peak hours.

The Solution

To overcome these challenges, GenPro partnered with Energy Toolbase to implement an ESS integrated with ETB Controller and Acumen AI™, configured for demand charge management. Using ETB Developer, GenPro modeled system sizes and hardware options before deploying three 120 kW / 258 kWh BYD CHESS units, purchased directly through Energy Toolbase. The batteries are programmed to dispatch energy once the site’s metered demand reaches a threshold precisely calculated by ETB Controller, based on the facility’s load and demand charges. Additionally, ETB Monitor provides real-time performance insights, ensuring the ESS operates efficiently while allowing timely adjustments to further optimize system performance. This deployment marked a milestone as Energy Toolbase’s first ESS project in Nebraska and GenPro’s first deployment of ETB Controller with energy storage.