The Seismic Technology Shift in the Inverter Industry is happening with the introduction of Lithium Inverters/UPS called Battery Energy Storage Systems.
In today’s era, the Evolution of Technology has become a mandated requirement in all industries. Technology needs to be upgraded accordingly to the needs of society, the environment, population, speed, time-saving, etc. Modern technology has propelled us to have a more leisurely, faster, and better lifestyle.
These changes have become more prominent and faster. Gone are the days when we had to deal with bulky lead acid inverters in our homes that would expose our family members to harmful gases and odours, polluting the indoor air.https://www.nationalgrid.com/stories/energy-explained/what-is-battery-storage
Naturally, the inverter industry also needed help to afford to rely on its archaic technologies and shift to a New and Eco-friendly substitute power backup for high-capacity loads.
With the introduction of Suvastika’s Energy Storage Systems (ESS), a massive shift in how the world thinks about power storage solutions has started.
As we know, today, batteries are being used as a standard parameter in many products such as mobile phones, laptops, Electric vehicles, medical equipment, mopping machines, and more. Batteries are regularly increasing as power storage has become an integral part of modern devices we use daily.https://suvastika.com/whats-battery-energy-storage-system/
The Energy Storage System will replace the old storage technology by adding missing parameters in Inverter/Home UPS technology. At the peak time, ESS can be switched on automatically on the battery mode so that the peak power required by the distribution companies can be reduced and power cuts can be avoided and support the external grid.
The seismic technology shift in the inverter industry is towards Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) with Lithium Ion batteries, and there are several reasons ESS is considered the industry’s future.
- Safe, Eco-friendly and Sustainable:
Lead-acid batteries are known to have risks of explosion, leakage of toxic gases, and environmental pollution.
The most significant risk of using Lead Acid Batteries is Explosion!!!
Time and again, we have seen tragic news stories about lead acid batteries getting exploded, causing injuries and even deaths.
What causes these accidents need to be understood very clearly.
The battery may also explode if the battery terminals are externally shorted with any metal object or conducting material. As the Lead Acid battery terminals are constantly exposed, any small child can touch the battery terminals with metal toys, and an accident would be waiting.
The Inverters used with Tubular batteries can cause a blast if the inverter charging circuit overcharges the battery beyond its charging limits or the charging limit of the Inverter and UPS is set at higher limits than the battery can carry. All tubular or SMF battery has the limitation of charging voltage being cut off. Suppose that setting is not done in Inverter or UPS according to the battery installed with that particular voltage. In that case, the battery can bulge initially and can explode ultimately.
As we can see, there are several reasons why a lead-acid battery can explode, endangering the lives of your loved ones.
So what’s the long-term solution?
The secret to a safe future is Energy Storage System with Lithium Ion batteries. The Lithium is either built-in or has an Anderson connector that is not exposed and is safe for the users and their families. BESS offers a more sustainable and environmentally friendly solution than traditional Tubular lead-acid batteries.
- Health Hazard
ESS with Lithium Ion batteries are safer to use than Tubular lead-acid batteries. There is always a possibility of the Lead acid battery getting blasted in case vent plugs get clogged, and the user doesn’t realise that vent plugs are meant for poisonous gas to get out of the battery. When the battery is being charged, the gas is made, and for that gas to release out into the air, they need clean vent plugs.
Many accidents have been reported in the media, and so many deaths have been reported. One is poisoning lead gases which are leaked into the air. Another is the vent plug that needs to be cleaned, and the battery needs to be kept open so that gases don’t affect the user’s health. Lithium Ion batteries also do not have vent plugs that need to be cleaned, reducing the risk of accidents.
Lead-acid batteries can produce toxic gases during charging, which can harm health, while Lithium has no such chemistry where we need to refill or any gases emitting out of the same. LifePo4 batteries are safe and have been used in mobile phones for 20 years. Often, our phones are gone into the water, and we keep the phone in a hot environment, and it starts working. So that’s the strength of the Lithium LifePO4 battery. It can be held anywhere in the room or where ever you get the space.
- Saving of Electricity, Environment and Money
Lithium Ion batteries used in ESS have faster charging times than tubular lead-acid batteries, which can take 15-20 hours to charge. ESS can be charged in 2-3 hours, saving electricity and reducing energy wastage. Moreover, Lithium Ion batteries have higher efficiency, allowing for more usable capacity even at high loads, unlike lead-acid batteries, which may lose capacity at high loads.
The wastage of electricity to charge the tubular lead acid battery is 15 to 30%. So, the electricity bill increases once a person installs the inverter/UPS, beyond a user’s imagination. Once charged, Lithium Ion batteries don’t consume power at all, and the ESS saves energy.
Example:
If a small inverter/
UPS is installed in a small house; the inverter consumes at least 1 unit even if there are no power outages for a month as the technology is old. The Lead Acid battery is kept on a trickle charge to keep it charged, which is a considerable waste of power.
- Shocking Efficiency
Lead Acid batteries are of the C20 capacity, meaning the 100 Ah battery becomes 50 Ah capacity if it draws 500 watts of load, which is unknown to the sellers or users. No one bothers to check whether the battery is C20, C10 or C3.
The Lithium battery comes as a C1 battery, meaning a 100 Ah battery remains 100 Ah even if the load is 500 watts. So, in this case, a 50 Ah Lithium Ion battery can provide the same backup as a 100 Ah Lead Acid battery.
Example:
Let us consider the case where ESS has a 50 Ah Lithium Ion battery competing against the 100 Ah Lead Acid Inverter/Home UPS battery. The lead acid battery will take 20 Hours to charge and will give approximately 1 hour of backup. The same Lithium battery will provide 1 hour of backup after charging for 3 hours.
One of the key features of Su-vastika’s ESS is its customization capabilities. The capacity can be increased or decreased per the individual’s needs. Even after the installation, the duration of ESS can be increased or decreased by reducing the load or increasing the battery capacity.
- Longer Back up Time
Lithium Ion battery can give you 6 hours of backup in 24 hours, and Lead Acid can give you up to 1.5 Hours of backup, which is a significant challenge faced by the user as the power goes and come back up. This is especially useful in areas with erratic power supply where longer backup times are required, so ESS is a straightforward solution.
- Size and Weight
BESS with Lithium Ion batteries are smaller and weightier than lead-acid batteries, making them more space-efficient and easy to handle. This is particularly beneficial in residential and commercial applications where space is limited. The Size of ESS is 1/4 the Size of a Lead Acid battery, and the Weight is also almost 1/4th.
There are no hanging wires with ESS. It is completely safe, as there is no inflammable diesel to deal with or worry about electric shocks.
- Maintenance
Lithium Ion batteries used in ESS require maintenance as they do not need regular water filling, unlike lead-acid batteries, which require frequent water filling.
After filling the water with Lead Acid, you face another challenge of Acid coming out and ruining your floor permanently and posing health hazards. At the same time, Lithium Ion batteries do not have such issues.
The proper distilled water is to be used when refilling the battery as this also causes the problem for the storm as the charging takes place, the chemical reaction takes place in the battery which creates various types of gases in the battery which can become the cause of significant explosion in the battery.
Who still needs to meet this problem every time water is filled in the battery?
- Life of Battery
Another big difference is the life of the Lithium Ion battery, which is five times higher than the Lead Acid, which is why the Lead Acid battery is costly in today’s environment.
- Transfer time for IT load
The ESS has the power to use for any equipment, including IT loads like routers, computers, etc., where the switching time is significantly less. ESS has almost no switching time, so that it can be used for IT, medical, and other critical loads. Su-vastika uses advanced Static switches in its ESS that reduce switching time to just 2ms to 5ms, which is fast enough to prevent a computer and most sensitive equipment from resetting.
- Safety to Appliances
The Pure Sinewave waveform received from BESS has a THD lesser than the quality of power we receive from the Distribution companies. So, our sensitive appliances are safer.
ESS has been developed with technologies like a Soft Start System and Automatic Voltage Regulation, specifically keeping the safety of appliances in mind. The Voltage regulation mechanism keeps the appliances safe by supplying a controlled voltage.
- Noiseless Operation
ESS works on Lithium-ion batteries, has a smooth, noiseless operation, and is completely pollution-free and eco-friendly.
- Solar Compatible
One can multiply its savings by adding solar panels and a charge controller with BESS without changing the system. Solar power can be used as a secondary power source or as a backup power source in case of battery discharge, which further saves electricity bills.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, BESS with Lithium Ion batteries offers significant advantages over traditional lead-acid batteries in terms of eco-friendliness, fast charging, high efficiency, longer backup time, smaller size and weight, low maintenance, and health and safety. These advantages make ESS the future of the inverter industry, providing a more reliable, efficient, and sustainable solution for power storage. The shift towards ESS is happening at the right time, as the world is waking up to the reality of making power/energy usage sustainable, green, and environmentally friendly.
It’s impressive to see how far Su-vastika’s Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) has come in providing an all-in-one lithium inbuilt power storage system that is not just environment-friendly but portable, compact and easy on the pocket (cost-effective) with a unique rechargeable battery system that stores energy from the electric grid and provides power back when needed.