Pixii is the project lead of B-READY, a large-scale research and innovation project focused on energy storage and artificial intelligence. The project has been awarded up to NOK 76 million (approximately EUR 6.5 million) in public funding through Norway’s national Green Platform programme, supported by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries.
B-READY will develop and test next-generation battery energy storage systems designed to strengthen power grid resilience and reduce the need for costly grid expansion. The project estimates that smarter use of distributed battery systems could reduce planned grid investments by up to NOK 8.5 billion by 2030, corresponding to around 5% of projected grid investments in Norway during this decade.
Although based in Norway, the challenges addressed by B-READY are global: accelerating electrification, increasing shares of variable renewable energy, and growing pressure on existing grid infrastructure.
Batteries as an active grid resource
The project takes a system-level approach to energy storage, where batteries are used as an active part of the power system – not only to store energy, but also to support flexibility, stability and preparedness.
“Distributed battery systems are like tentacles in the power grid. They can do much more than store energy – they can ensure that energy is available where and when it is needed. This project will make battery systems smarter, enabling both increased electrification and stronger preparedness. That reduces system costs while supporting industrial development and export.”
Ole Jakob Sørdalen, Chief Innovation Officer at Pixii and Project Owner of B-READY.
B-READY will develop battery systems that can coordinate across grid infrastructure, power generation assets and mobile energy resources, such as electric buses, allowing available battery capacity to be orchestrated when the power system is under stress.
Resilience through island operation
A central focus of the project is enabling battery systems to operate in island mode, meaning they can supply power independently of the main grid when required. This capability is critical for maintaining power supply during grid outages, extreme events or in geographically isolated areas.
By combining advanced control systems with artificial intelligence, the project will ensure stable transitions between normal grid-connected operation and emergency operation – even in scenarios with limited communication or loss of cloud connectivity.
From research to real-world validation
To ensure solutions are robust and scalable, B-READY combines research, laboratory testing and demonstrations in real-world environments. Battery systems and control strategies will be validated in settings such as solar parks, charging infrastructure, energy stations and industrial backup installations, under both normal operating conditions and preparedness scenarios.
Broad collaboration across the energy system
B-READY brings together partners from industry, research, grid operators and mobility, reflecting the complexity of modern power systems and the need for cross-sector collaboration.
Project partners:
Pixii, Upkip, Kongsberg Digital, SINTEF Energy, SINTEF Digital, Chargitect, Tide, Endra, Fagne, Glitre Nett, Statnett, Sustainable Energy and The Norwegian Smartgrid Centre.
