The world is embarking on renewable energy sources like solar, as they are environment-friendly, cost-effective, and meet future energy requirements. One of the downsides of these energy sources is that they are largely weather dependent. This is where Energy Storage Systems (ESS) can be employed to resolve harsh outdoor constraints and the added complexity of energy/power distribution. ESS facilitates the efficient use of solar energy by effectively storing the energy generated by this renewable source.

The excess power produced by renewable energy resources like solar and wind is captured by the ESS infrastructure, avoiding frequency and energy usage fluctuations, and enhancing the grid's reliability and power quality. They not only store the excess energy produced but stabilize the electrical performance in large grid installations as well as medium commercial to residential applications, by supplying the stored energy back to the grid when generation levels fall short.

An ESS consists of Lithium-ion batteries, together with inverters or Power Conditioning Systems (PCS). A battery module is the heart of this system. For commercial or industrial applications, the battery modules are stacked to form energy racks. Multiple such racks can then be configured within a container structure to function as the ESS for mid-large smart grids. These battery modules are interconnected using busbar connector solutions.

Depending on the rack architecture, the busbar connectors create a drawer-style, slide-in connection that can be scaled to meet various application requirements. Likewise, connected in series or parallel, front-loaded battery modules can benefit from a busbar-type interface that can be designed for more efficient mating and routing orientations. The busbar connections use copper rods/plates in place of bulky cables. This effectively mitigates field wiring and cabling constraints, thus allowing enhanced power distribution and module-to-module (or rack) energy density. In addition, they also maximize distributing high power, making them the ideal interconnects for larger ESS applications.

Amphenol offers a wide range of interconnect solutions for various applications within an ESS. Our BarKlip® BK200 IO connectors are an ideal choice to establish the connection between the battery racks and the busbar. The cable is capable of achieving a direct pluggable connection to an uninsulated busbar. This connection generates very low energy loss, with a maximum resistance of only 0.2mΩ per port.

It also features 14 fully independent cantilevered beams, providing a true compliant spring to adjust for variations in busbar alignment and surface finish. The wire and contact are ultrasonically welded and thus increase the efficiency and reliability of the current transition.

With a wide wire range selection of 8 ~ 2AWG, with up to four 8AWG wires per contact, these connectors support different wire combinations with equal cross-section areas for a wide range of power distribution requirements.

Amphenol’s BarKlip® BK300 IO connectors come equipped with 14 independent conducting beams. These power beams provide lower overall resistance by maintaining contact with the mating busbar through common misaligned conditions. Plated with Amphenol's proprietary silver-based AGT® plating technology, BK300 further reduces contact resistance and eliminates fretting corrosion commonly found in tin-plated connectors.

Amphenol also offers a wide range of connector and cable assemblies for various applications with ESS.