Post: Q&A: Optimizing DERs with intelligence

Q&A: Optimizing DERs with intelligence

An energy management system (EMS) is a set of tools combining software and hardware that optimally distributes energy flows between connected distributed energy resources (DERs). Companies use energy management systems to optimize the generation, storage and/or consumption of electricity to lower both costs and emissions and stabilize the power grid.

In this article we spoke to GridBeyond Head of Product (EV and Battery Storage Solutions) Amanpreet Kaur about the GridBeyond EMS, why it’s different, and how businesses can benefit.

Q: What is an Energy Management System (EMS)?

A: An Energy Management System is a combination of hardware and software that allows a site to monitor, control, and optimize its energy assets. These assets may include solar PV, battery energy storage systems, flexible loads, EV charging, or any combination of distributed energy resources. The EMS gathers real-time data from the site, interprets operational conditions, and issues the appropriate commands to ensure the site is performing efficiently, safely, and in line with commercial or technical objectives. It acts as a data orchestration and intelligence layer that supports visibility, responsiveness, and continuous optimization of the site’s energy usage and capabilities, all while keeping pace with regulatory and market requirements. GridBeyond’s EMS is designed to integrate seamlessly with a wide variety of on-site systems and offers a modern interface that provides operators with actionable insight into the performance of their assets.

Q: How does the EMS work?

A: GridBeyond’s EMS works through a coordinated interaction between a robust local controller installed at the customer site and a – cloud platform. The local controller plays an essential role in maintaining real-time operational oversight: it observes key asset metrics such as active and reactive power, battery state of charge, system health, and device-level alarms. Because this control layer operates on-site, it can function even if communication to the cloud is interrupted. This ensures continuous control, rapid reaction to changes in operating conditions, and immediate identification of faults or derating events.

Meanwhile, the cloud platform processes incoming data, applies site-specific rules, and interfaces with external systems such as market operators and grid platforms. This cloud-based intelligence is responsible for advanced coordination tasks such as forecasting, asset optimization, and dispatch management. When a market operator issues a real-time instruction, it is delivered through the cloud and executed instantly by the local controller. In the case of battery systems, the EMS also ensures that state-of-charge limits, warranty constraints, and operational boundaries are adhered to. All of this is presented to the user through an intuitive interface that includes custom dashboards, detailed reporting, and round-the-clock (24/7) NoC visibility into performance and operational status.

Q: How does the Virtual Power Plant (VPP) fit into this system?

A: The VPP acts as the market-facing intelligence that sits above the EMS. While the EMS controls what happens on-site, the VPP determines how and when those assets should participate in electricity markets. It aggregates distributed assets, assesses their availability and performance, and uses forecasting and optimization techniques to position them for value across multiple revenue streams. It prepares and submits bids, monitors market prices, and orchestrates dispatch instructions to maximize returns while remaining compliant with technical constraints. Communication between the EMS and VPP is continuous: the EMS provides asset health and performance data to the VPP, and the VPP provides dispatch schedules and bidding strategies back to the EMS. Together, they create a complete distributed energy resource management system (DERMS) that spans both the technical and commercial aspects of asset operation.

Q: What kinds of assets can be integrated with the EMS?

A: GridBeyond’s EMS is designed to work with a broad range of energy assets. Solar PV, battery storage systems, gensets, and site loads can be controlled and monitored natively, and the system can also integrate with third-party platforms such as EV charging networks. Its open architecture means it can communicate with numerous external systems, whether they are grid operator portals, market platforms, or other software solutions. As a result, the EMS can serve as a unified operational hub for diverse, mixed-asset portfolios, whether they are behind the meter, in front of the meter, or part of a larger distributed fleet.

Q: How does the EMS maintain reliability and system integrity?

A: Reliability is driven primarily by the presence of the local controller, which ensures fast and dependable operation regardless of cloud availability. This device continuously evaluates asset performance and can rapidly identify deviations from normal conditions. Its ability to operate offline means assets can continue functioning safely even during communication interruptions. The cloud system complements this by offering longer-term analytics, predictive insights, and comprehensive alerting. Together, they provide a layered approach where immediate operational control is reinforced by higher-level intelligence, resulting in a stable and resilient system architecture that protects both asset performance and operational continuity.

Q: What are the benefits of working with a single provider for EMS, VPP, hardware, and market access?

A: Choosing a single provider offers significant operational and commercial advantages. When the same company is responsible for the on-site control hardware, the cloud software, the market integration layer, and the revenue optimization strategy, every component is engineered to work together seamlessly. This eliminates the friction, delays, and compatibility challenges that often arise when multiple vendors are involved.

Having a unified system also means that value stacking is coordinated holistically rather than pieced together across disconnected platforms. Fault resolution becomes more efficient because there is one point of accountability for everything from telemetry to dispatch performance. The operator experiences a consistent, integrated interface, rather than navigating between different portals or systems. Over the long term, this approach provides a scalable pathway for growth, allowing additional assets, new sites, or new market opportunities to be integrated without re-engineering the technology stack. With GridBeyond’s global experience, open architecture, and modular design, using a single provider ensures both operational stability and the ability to adapt to emerging technologies and future energy market developments.