When installing energy storage batteries more people are becoming aware or the risks associated with batteries that have a possibility of going into thermal runaway.
Over the last few years there have been a number of reports of fires and explosions being caused by lithium ion batteries.
‘Zombie batteries’ causing hundreds of waste fires, experts warn
Continue reading “Battery safety and fire risk”
During bushfires power is often lost to many areas and sometimes is not returned for days or weeks at a time. At these times communities often have to rely on generators, especially if, as in the devastating 2019-2020 Australian bushfires roads are cut off to complete communities for extended periods of time.
Strong winds also tend to bring trees down on power lines, again cutting off your power supply
With the installation of energy storage systems most people look at the battery and concentrate on that but in reality the battery inverter is an integral part of any energy storage system and will dictate much of the energy storage systems operations.
Often when an energy storage system isn’t working properly the fault lies with the inverter and not the battery.
Inverter power is measured in kVA or volt amps.
The battery inverter takes power from the solar PV array (solar inverter or MPPT) and battery which can be of different voltages and converts it to 240V for household of business use.
Solar inverters are designed to work with solar PV arrays and battery inverters are designed to work with energy storage batteries. Hybrid inverters are also coming onto the market that combine both solar PV and battery conversions.
Continue reading “Not all battery inverters are equal”More and more people are recognising that one of the major issues with energy storage batteries are the dangers with fires and explosions particularly associated with thermal runaway (self-sustaining fires). This has become particularly relevant as people are considering installing the many lithium ion battery technologies in their houses or businesses and are becoming aware of the possibility of the dangers associated with this.
Standards Australia has been working on new installation standards “AS-NZ 5139_2019” which will try and address this issue but there is still a lot of discussion around whether the new installation restrictions are too strict or are really looking at individual battery characteristics correctly and fairly.
International Standard “UL9540A” has been developed to independently examine Fire Risk with Battery Cells and Evaluate Thermal Runaway Fire Propagation in Battery Energy Storage Systems.
Most people that are looking at installing an energy storage system (battery and battery inverter) don’t realise that every installation is different and there is no one size fits all. Installations are very dependent on whether there is already solar PV in place and the current electrical wiring situation at the premises.
With solar PV installations as long as you have suitable roof space you can install a system and the questions that need deciding are finding a reliable supplier / installer, working out the size of the PV system needed according to electricity usage and roof space and the size of the inverter required.
With an energy storage system it is much more complicated. Among the considerations are;
Continue reading “Questions to ask about installing an energy storage system”
There are many things to take into account when looking at an energy storage battery for your home or business. These include what you want your energy storage battery to do as well as its safety, performance, operating temperature and end of life recyclability.
Unfortunately many people only look at the initial purchase cost of batteries and this is what they use to compare different batteries. This doesn’t take into account what a battery may cost them over its lifetime or the cost to the environment of both the battery’s manufacture and end of life disposal. To make a realistic comparison of a battery’s cost you need to consider it’s full “cradle to grave” impact on all areas, including its safety during operation and it’s environmental impact. Continue reading “Battery capacity depends on user needs”
Vote for leaders who will fight climate change by
– Ending fossil fuel subsidies
– Investing in renewables
– Leaving fossil fuels in the ground
– Supporting a price on carbon Continue reading “Vote for leaders who will fight climate change”
There are many reasons why people live off the main electricity grid supply. They may live in remote areas where it is not economically feasible to connect to the electricity grid. Usually these communities have relied on diesel generators.
It may be a lifestyle choice where people want to be self-sufficient and take control of their own energy usage.
People that live at the end of electricity supply lines or Swer lines may have a lot of power outages and find it is actually more stable and economical to be off-grid or part of a local mini grid. Continue reading “Off grid energy usage”
GridEdge is a company that delivers both off grid and on grid energy supply to all levels of consumer demand. 
GridEdge has the Australian and New Zealand distributor rights to the FZSoNick sodium nickel chloride battery which has superior operating capabilities, compared to any other battery technology, currently available. The SoNick battery operates at a wider range of temperatures compared to other batteries and has the advantage of being a non-toxic, environmentally friendly battery that is much more compact, compared to many other batteries set up currently on the market or proposed in the near future. Continue reading “GridEdge and the FZSoNick battery”
Just like GridEdge’s sodium nickel chloride battery technology Redflow’s flow battery is well suited to Australia’s varying weather conditions and doesn’t have the fire risks that lithium ion batteries do.
Along with GridEdge and many other non-lithium battery companies Australian battery company Redflow Limited (ASX:RFX) has welcomed proposed new regulations that prioritise fire safety for the deployment of lithium-based batteries inside homes. Continue reading “Redflow welcomes safety-first fire rules for batteries”