Electricity and Control April 2024

ENERGY MANAGEMENT + THE INDUSTRIAL ENVIRONMENT : PRODUCTS + SERVICES

The next big shift in energy – high voltage battery systems

Lance Dickerson, MD of Revov, says for South Africa, overcoming the energy crisis will fuel the next big shift in the country’s energy infrastructure. High voltage (HV) LiFePO4 battery energy storage systems (BESS), which can improve power reliability for businesses, have been around for some time, but REVOV expects an upsurge in usage in 2024 and going forward. “HV BESS systems are designed for industrial, com mercial and utility-scale applications. We are seeing a growing number of enquiries from key players in agricul ture, manufacturing, property development, residential and commercial property management, and the educa tion sector,” Dickerson says. Businesses in primary sectors in the economy realise they need to take control of their own energy security and more business leaders are realising that renewable en ergy storage is a much more viable, and reliable, option than traditional internal combustion generators. There are three main reasons for this. From a com mercial perspective, hauling big loads of fuel to power generators carries a significant cost, especially for out lying areas, and security of supply – because it is via road travel – is not assured. Further, diesel costs con tinue to increase, and maintaining and servicing large generators add financial strain on organisations that may already be operating on tight margins. In addition, the world is turning to renewable energy. Dickerson notes that the commitment to net zero carbon emissions is in focus globally. “South African business es have to acknowledge this and accept that access to markets such as the EU will become increasingly diffi cult and restrictive unless businesses, industries, and countries comply with stricter carbon targets. We can no longer assume that products made or grown on the back of power supplied by internal combustion engines or coal-fired power stations will be accepted into the EU or other international markets. “And, from an environmental perspective, the over whelming weight of evidence about the critical state of the climate and our planet, surely dissuades anyone from investing in further harm to the planet.” He emphasises: “If this moral obligation is not yet recognised as urgent, consider that much of our workforce and consumer pop ulation is made up of millennials and Gen Z. Although they are different, both age groups value purpose and actively pressure their employers and brands they sup port to embrace various environmental, social and gov ernance (ESG) causes. They are also known to reject businesses and brands that don’t. Activist shareholders are increasingly demanding accountability and this pres sure will continue to grow.” All these factors contribute to creating an environment where HV BESS systems become almost synonymous with electricity security in South African industry. The technology of HV BESS has evolved to a point where it is applicable and scalable across various sec

Above: REVOV is a leading supplier of LiFePO4 batteries for large-scale industrial and other applications across sub-Saharan Africa. Left: HV BESS technology is applicable and scalable across various sectors.

tors, making these systems suitable for larger-scale appli cations in industrial, commercial and utility settings. Leading sup pliers can deliver modular systems that allow businesses to scale up their investment as needed. Dickerson highlights that HV BESS systems are being considered or are already in use in farming and the ag ricultural value chain, manufacturing, retail centres, and more, to provide power backup capacity when grid sup ply is unavailable. Businesses have different motivations, but they all hinge on energy security, with cost savings. He says many are interested in renewable power investments where BESS systems store the energy generated from solar panels and, in some instances, wind turbines. Oth ers need uninterrupted power backup to ensure critical systems such as refrigeration and security are unaffect ed by protracted power cuts. Businesses are also real ising that high voltage storage systems enable them to reduce their energy costs by mitigating against periodic demand changes. Eskom recently officially opened its first utility-scale battery energy storage system in the Western Cape. This demonstrates another crucial application of HV BESS to improve grid stability and integrate renewable energy sources. Dickerson points out: “These systems, built with the right batteries, can help manage fluctuations in sup ply and demand and reduce transmission losses. They can also serve additional functions such as regulating frequency, providing voltage support and balancing the grid. There is more than enough capacity and engineer ing expertise in the local industry to support a shift to the new energy utility of the future.” Modern, modular systems include local and remote monitoring of specific battery telemetry, ranging from in dividual, per-cell visibility, to data relating to each battery string. “These systems point to the next big shift in our power landscape – for national and municipal utilities as well as IPPs and businesses or other entities choosing the route of embedded self-generation,” he says. □

16 Electricity + Control APRIL 2024