# Market Signal Issue 04: PCS RFQ

## Why price per kW is not enough before grid, EMS and protection scope are clear

A PCS quote can look simple: rated power, voltage, efficiency and price. In real projects, those numbers are only the start. A buyer still needs to understand grid code, DC voltage range, battery interface, EMS communication, protection functions, cooling, enclosure, parallel operation, monitoring and service assumptions.

Solarbe Global treats PCS sourcing as a system-boundary question, not a standalone price comparison.

## Buyer questions before asking for PCS price

1. What is the application: C&I BESS, utility storage, microgrid, PV+storage or replacement?
2. What is the AC voltage, frequency and grid-code requirement?
3. What DC voltage range and battery system will the PCS connect to?
4. Does the buyer require bidirectional operation, black start, off-grid mode or grid-forming functions?
5. Which EMS or BMS protocol must be supported?
6. What protection, isolation, anti-islanding and fault ride-through functions are required?
7. What installation environment, cooling method and IP rating are expected?
8. What certificate, test report and warranty evidence must be checked before RFQ?

## Supplier evidence to prepare

1. Model-level datasheet and manual.
2. Grid-code and certificate scope by target market.
3. DC voltage range, AC output range and derating conditions.
4. EMS/BMS communication protocol and integration boundary.
5. Protection function list and test evidence.
6. Warranty terms, exclusions and service response path.
7. Installation, cooling, enclosure and maintenance requirements.
8. Product, cabinet, label, interface and project images with use permission.

## What Solarbe Global can do

1. Turn a buyer's loose PCS request into an RFQ field list.
2. Ask suppliers for model-level evidence before comparing price.
3. Help identify missing files and integration assumptions.
4. Route qualified interest into supplier evidence rooms, shortlist discussion or meeting preparation.

## Boundary

This signal is for sourcing preparation. It is not engineering design, grid-connection approval, official certification, supplier endorsement, live price quotation or delivery guarantee.