Sound Fighter Systems Installs Custom Sound Wall for One North America’s Largest Battery Energy Storage Sites (BESS)

Sound Fighter ® System (SFS) was asked to design and build a fully sound-absorptive, all-weather sound wall for one of the largest BESS sites in the country, in the San Diego area. A formal Sound Study was done, which modeled SFS’ SonaGuard ® noise barrier system against the frequency profile of the battery units, and the barrier was produced specifically per the Acoustician’s recommendations. SFS designed the barrier with a Class A fire rating and non-conductive sound panels. The barrier was designed to withstand the harsh heat and wind conditions of Southern California, with a clean shiplap in a soft green color facing the local residents.

When demand for electricity peaks, usually during extreme weather conditions, stress on the system can cause failure in high-consumption areas of the grid. When that happens, back-up generation is required to supply power until the primary generation source is restored. In an effort to address these unpredictable power outages in the area, the regional power company is installing large Battery Energy Storage Sites (also known as BESS) at specific locations on its transmission grid.

Backup power sites have historically utilized fossil-fuel to generate their power. However, in keeping with its effort to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, CA is installing large battery-powered backup facilities in strategic high-demand areas. These large battery systems are charged by the grid when power demand is low, so they are always ready to supply electricity when there is a failure or blackout of the primary energy source.

There are many environmental benefits to using non-fossil fueled power supplies, however, one of the inevitable drawbacks is the excessive noise required to operate and cool BESS sites. Each of the battery units must be continually ventilated and cooled, and that process is noisy. When sites have a dozen or even hundreds of these energy storage units, the resulting noise pollution can become a problem within the surrounding community.

While the industry is researching different ways to mitigate this noise issue, the most cost-effective and acoustically-successful option is the use of sound-absorptive noise barriers positioned between the battery units and the affected communities. These walls, which actually eliminate reflective sound waves that hit them, significantly reduce noise both inside the BESS site and outside the site in the affected communities.

For more information, visit https://www.soundfighter.com.

Contact:

Murray Stacy

(318) 861-6640

mstacy@soundfighter.com

Sound Fighter ® Systems, L.L.C.

P.O. Box 7216

Shreveport, LA 71137

Toll Free: 866-348-0833
Fax: (318) 865-7373

About Sound Fighter ® Systems, L.L.C.

Sound Fighter ® Systems, LLC has been researching, designing, and manufacturing highly efficient noise barrier walls since 1973, making it the oldest established manufacturer of such products in America. Sound Fighter ® walls have been produced for unique noise mitigation applications around the world, including Electrical Substations, Natural Gas Compressor and Transmission Stations, Highways and Interstates, Recycling Facilities, Big Box Developments, Loading Docks, Shopping Centers, Industrial and Commercial Sites, Multi-Family Housing Developments, Race Tracks, Schools, Power Generation, HVAC Equipment, and Manufacturing Plants. The company is headquartered in Shreveport, LA. © Sound Fighter ® Systems, L.L.C. 2023