1. The purpose of storage
Be exact about the role of the system in your operation. Backup, peak shaving, tariff optimisation, renewable firming, or participation in balancing markets each demand different configurations and control strategies. A supplier cannot design value if you cannot define intent.
2. Your load and energy profile
Provide at least one full year of load data, including consumption, export, and demand peaks. The system’s size, cycle count, and return on investment all depend on real data, not estimates.
3. Required power and duration
Decide how long the system should supply power at maximum load. A 1 MW system that runs for one hour is a completely different asset from one designed for four hours. This single ratio, kW to kWh, drives the entire design.
4. Environmental and site conditions
Know your environment. Outdoor or indoor installation, ambient temperature, humidity, dust, and noise constraints determine cooling method and enclosure design. If you cannot provide environmental parameters, expect the supplier to overdesign for safety margins.
5. Preferred battery chemistry and limits
Understand the trade-offs between lithium chemistries. LFP offers thermal stability and long life; NMC offers density but needs tighter control; LTO delivers high cycle life at higher cost. You don’t need to choose the chemistry, but you must know what matters most: safety, energy density, or lifetime.
6. Power Conversion System (PCS) architecture
Determine the required inverter topology: single or three-phase, voltage level, and required grid-forming capability. The PCS dictates the system’s power quality and how it interacts with the grid.
7. Compliance and safety requirements
Know the mandatory standards for your jurisdiction: CE conformity, UN 38.3 transport testing, local fire-safety codes, and grid connection rules. Ask to see real certificates, not declarations without traceability numbers.
8. Testing and acceptance
Understand what you will witness. Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT) confirm the system works before shipment; Site Acceptance Tests (SAT) verify performance after installation. Plan who from your team will review the results and sign the reports.
9. Data ownership and control
Decide early how your team will monitor and control the system. Will it connect to your SCADA, or use the supplier’s cloud platform? Ensure you retain direct access to performance data for auditing, warranty claims, and future optimisation.
10. Warranty principles
Learn the structure of energy-storage warranties. Capacity retention, throughput, and calendar years all define value. You must understand which parameter limits the warranty first and how degradation will be measured.
11. Site readiness
Before delivery, complete foundations, conduits, and cable routes, and verify crane access. Installation delays caused by an unprepared site are on the buyer, not the supplier.
12. End-of-life responsibility
Under EU Battery Regulation 2023/1542, the equipment owner remains responsible for traceability and recycling. Ensure that serial numbers, batch data, and recycling agreements are recorded from day one.
