The 'brain' of the system: Power Plant Controller

While the industry often focuses on the cost of the hardware, the real challenge and value lies in successfully delivering, integrating, and operating these assets over their lifetime. As the market matures, the focus shifts from hardware procurement to the complexities of site integration, grid compliance, and ensuring long-term availability.

In practice, microgrids are shaping how large-scale energy projects operate, helping to accelerate the use of grid-forming technology. Meanwhile, combining solar with battery storage is becoming an increasingly effective way to reduce wasted energy and improve project economics.

In this conversation, Ed speaks with Lucie Kanius-Dujardin, Global Managing Director at NHOA, about what it really takes to deliver complex energy projects at scale. They discuss the realities of managing global supply chains, the push toward higher-capacity battery cells, and why the often-overlooked “brain” of the system - the Power Plant Controller - is just as important as the battery itself.

Key topics discussed

•Why the Power Plant Controller is critical to smooth commissioning and reliable performance - not just an add-on to the hardware.

• How experience with microgrids has created an edge in deploying grid-forming technology on modern transmission networks.

• Why more developers are pairing solar with storage to protect revenues and reduce grid constraints.

• Whether a single global solution can work across very different local grid rules, from Scotland to Australia.

• How integrators are keeping systems reliable as battery cells rapidly increase in size and capacity.

About our guest

Lucie Kanius-Dujardin is the Global Managing Director of NHOA Energy, a global provider of turnkey battery energy storage solutions. With 15 years in the energy sector, she oversees the company's technology, delivery, and long-term asset service pillars across markets in Europe, Australia, and beyond.

Connect with Lucie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucie-kanius-dujardin-47855521/?locale=en_US

To find out more about NHOA, head to their website: https://nhoa.energy/

About Modo Energy

Modo Energy helps the owners, operators, builders, and financiers of battery energy storage understand the market — and make the most out of their assets.

All episodes of Transmission are available to watch or listen to on the Modo Energy site. To stay up to date with our analysis, research, data visualisations, live events, and conversations, follow us on LinkedIn. Explore The Energy Academy, our bite-sized video series explaining how power markets work.