Blog > Project Development

AMS + Energy Toolbase Integration: Here’s what you should know

Our energy storage modeling capabilities just got even more intuitive as we are now integrated with AMS. This integration with AMS energy market software allows developers to simulate the project economics of a solar and storage system optimized with AMS’s validated savings and financial performance guarantee.  We’ve created a simplistic workflow where developers can have the confidence to model energy storage where the output is tested, validated and guaranteed from AMS, the company controlling the asset in the field.  

*Note: each subtitle links to the time in the webinar where each topic is discussed

Who is AMS? 

AMS is a SaaS company with an A.I. software platform that uses deep learning algorithms to enable optimized dispatching and trading of complex energy assets in energy markets. AMS’s business is powered by its industry-leading transactive energy management platform, which AMS and its partners utilize to offer compelling and innovative energy management services to customers, utilities, asset owners, and operators. AMS offers a savings base guarantee that focuses on achieving real-life savings through energy storage simulations and real-life software controls.

AMS software key highlights: 

  • total: 120 MW + assets under contracts
  • Key Contract Details: 
    • SCE: 90 MW of dispatchable energy resources
    • SDG&E: 4MW to support grid reliability following nuclear plant closure
    • Orange County, CA: 52 MWh of energy storage deployed through a portfolio of contracts
    • Massachusetts: assets deployed at public institutions 
AMS ARMADA: an AI-driven storage operator 

ARMADA is an in house software, created by AMS, to make financial optimal decisions at the battery and portfolio level. In order to make a behind-the-meter battery project successful from a financial and operational standpoint, you need both the hardware and the software to be connected and talking to one another, that’s where ARMADA comes in. This optimization software allows projects to operate effectively and leverages data to extract the maximum value.

Signing up for the Integration

Signing up for the AMS – ETB integration is simple and fast:

  • Sign up for an Energy Toolbase account (if you don’t already have one). Click here to get started for free
  •  Navigate to ‘Step 5’ within a proposal and click on the AMS logo. Accept the terms and conditions of integration
  • Once you accept, it’s a dual opt-in process. The AMS team will either approve or reject your application 
  •  There is no cost to using the integration. 
Benefits of using AMS in Energy Toolbase

AMS is one of the leading software controls in the world and paired with the accuracy of Energy Toolbase’s financial modeling, there are endless benefits for developers who are looking to model simulations that accurately reflect the projects’ real-time performance. Benefits include:

  • Streamlined workflow: being able to run projects with the AMS integration gives developers the ability to find the best projects and savings opportunities more efficiently and in less time. This will ultimately lead to more energy storage projects getting qualified, modeled, sold, and installed.
  • Validated savings analysis: gives you the ability to run simulations with both the dispatch and savings model that’s been validated by AMS and is going to be representative of how these systems operate in the field.
  • AMS can make iterative updates: with the consistent changes happening with software controls,  utility rate structures, incentives, net metering rules, etc., AMS is consistently making updates on the back end so that users have immediate access.
  • AMS approved transactions & documents: once you’ve been accepted, Energy Toolbase will provide you with custom transactions and documents in your account to accurately represent the AMS simulations and present it to clients
  • No cost: there is no cost to using this integration. The ability to simplistically and confidently model one of the leading software controls in the world is included in the price of your subscription with ETB. This will equip you with another option in your sales belt to provide value to your clients

 

Best Practices for modeling AMS projects 

While every project that’s modeled in Energy Toolbase is different, there are  some basic practices that we encourage to get the most accurate and representative results of how these systems will operate in the field:

  • Find the low-hanging fruit: we encourage users who are modeling projects with the AMS integration to identify the lucrative savings opportunities driven by rate schedules, the shape of load profiles, and incentives.
  • Run a lot of iterations: when you’re modeling projects, the best practice is run several different iterations to find the sweet spot for savings
  • Optimize for best PV & ESS savings: find solar-friendly rate schedules such as DG-R, Option R and Option E. Also remember to be mindful of the rate switch impact.

To see the full product demo in Energy Toolbase click here, or you can watch the entire webinar: