Alpha ESS
| Battery Name | Alpha ESS |
| Technology Class | LFP |
| Voltage | 48 V |
| Maximum Charge Rate | - |
| Maximum Discharge Rate | 2.4 kW |
| Rated Capacity (@ 100% DOD) | 4.8 kWh (per battery module) |
| Recommended DOD | 90% |
| Weight | 63 kg (per battery module) |
| Size | 44.2 L (per battery module) |
The M48100 cell is one of a number of LFP cells available from Alpha, either stand-alone or included in one of their All-In-One systems. It is a modular-rack mounted unit with up to 6 able to be connected in parallel. The capacity of each battery is 4.8 kWh nominal, with a recommended DoD of 90%. The batteries are designed to be rack-mounted.
The M48100 is manufactured by Chinese company EVE (Energy Very Endure), established in 2001. EVE manufactures a range of lithium-ion battery products for residential, off-grid, telecom and industry applications.
The Battery Test Centre installation consists of 2x M48100 batteries in parallel, connected to an SMA Sunny Island inverter.
Alpha ESS' website can be accessed here.
Ampetus Super Lithium
| Battery Name | Ampetus "Super" Lithium |
| Technology Class | LFP |
| Voltage | 51.2 V |
| Maximum Charge Rate | - |
| Maximum Discharge Rate | 1.5 kW |
| Rated Capacity (@ 100% DOD) | 3 kWh (per battery module) |
| Recommended DOD | 90 % |
| Weight | 53 kg (per battery module) |
| Size | 39.8 L (per battery module) |
The Ampetus Super Pod contains 1 to 5 Sinlion batteries. Sinlion Battery Tech is a Chinese manfacturer established in 2011. The battery is promoted for its long lifetime, marketed at 10,000 cycles.
The system installed at the Battery Test Centre consists of 3x Sinlion batteries connected in parallel. They are connected to a SolaX X-Hybrid inverter which charges/discharges the batteries.
Testing update: Ampetus Energy went into liquidation in May 2018. The batteries installed at the Battery Test Centre are no longer able to cycle reliably and therefore no data is available.
Aquion Aspen
| Battery Name | Aquion Aspen |
| Technology Class | Aqueous Hybrid Ion (saltwater) |
| Voltage | 48 VDC |
| Maximum Charge Rate | - |
| Maximum Discharge Rate | - |
| Rated Capacity (@ 100% DOD) | 2.2 kWh (per stack) @ C20 |
| Recommended DOD | 100 % |
| Weight | 53 kg (per stack) |
| Size | 95.7 L (per stack) |
Aquion batteries use a saltwater electrolyte, a carbon titanium phosphate composite anode, and a manganese oxide cathode. Multiple Aspen 48S stacks can be added together to scale system size.
Aquion has been in commercial production since 2014. Aquion promotes the safety and environmental aspects of their batteries and markets them as the only ones in the world to be Cradle to Cradle Certified.
The Battery Test Centre installation consists of 8x Aquion batteries connected to a Victron MultiGrid inverter.
Testing update: In March 2017, Aquion Energy filed for voluntary bankruptcy and in June 2017 was acquired by Juline-Titans LLC. System commissioning is unable to completed without support from the manufacturer, which is not available for existing installations.
CALB CA100
| Battery Name | CA100 |
| Technology Class | Li-ion LFP |
| Voltage | 3.2V per cell |
| Maximum Charge Rate | - |
| Maximum Discharge Rate | 2C (200A) |
| Rated Capacity (@ 100% DOD) | 100 Ah per cell @ 0.3C (Battery Test Centre system total 200Ah) |
| Recommended DOD | 80% |
| Weight | 3.4 kg per cell |
| Size | 2.1 L |
The CALB CA100 is a 3.2V 100Ah cell manufactured by the China Aviation Lithium Battery Company. CALB is a state-owned Chinese corporation that was established in 2007. CALB cells are LFP technology, marketed as a safe, high-rate battery.
For the purposes of the trial, 32 cells have been connected for a total nominal voltage of 51.2 V and capacity of 200Ah. The battery cells are monitored and balanced by an external BMS manufactured by REC in Slovenia.
The REC BMS is connected to an SMA Sunny Island inverter which charges and discharges the batteries.
CALB’s website can be accessed here.
Ecoult UltraFlex
| Battery Name | Ecoult UltraFlex |
| Technology Class | Advanced Lead Acid |
| Voltage | 48V (8x UltraBattery system) |
| Maximum Charge Rate | - |
| Maximum Discharge Rate | 13.9 kW (8x UltraBattery system) |
| Rated Capacity (@ 100% DOD) | 14.1 kWh @ C10, 9.9 kWh @ 1C (8x UltraBattery system) |
| Recommended DOD | 60% (twice daily cycling), 50% (accelerated testing) |
| Weight | 771 kg |
| Size | 840 L (cabinet holds up to 28.2 kWh, or 16x UltraBatteries) |
The UltraFlex is a 48 V battery bank and BMS provided by Ecoult. The technology is considered to be 'advanced lead-acid' because the negative electrode of a traditional lead-acid battery is enhanced with a carbon treatment to create an ultracapacitor within each cell that changes the chemistry and performance to allow the battery to operate in continuous partial SOC, where internal resistance is lower. The UltraBattery technology was invented by Australia’s CSIRO and is now commercialised by Ecoult in Australia, Furukawa Battery Company in Japan, and East Penn Manufacturing in the US. The batteries for the UltraFlex system are manufactured in East Penn’s manufacturing plant in Pennsylvania and the BMS, software and racking is designed and made in Australia.
The UltraFlex installed at the Battery Test Centre consists of 8x 12V UltraBatteries. The unit is connected to an SMA Sunny Island inverter which charges and discharges the batteries.
Ecoult's website can be accessed here.
Testing update: In September 2017 Ecoult removed some underperforming battery units from this test for analysis and identified that its control system algorithm (specific to the site) allowed some cells to stray beyond their normal cycling limit for extended periods, accelerating deterioration. Ecoult updated their control and replaced all batteries under warranty. Cycling of the new batteries commenced in January 2018.
GNB Sonnenschein PBA
| Battery Name | Sonnenschein SB 6/330 |
| Technology Class | VRLA Gel |
| Voltage | 6V per battery |
| Maximum Charge Rate | - |
| Maximum Discharge Rate | - |
| Rated Capacity (@ 100% DOD) | 300 Ah @ C100 |
| Recommended DOD | 60% |
| Weight | 48 kg per battery |
| Size | 20.4 L per battery |
Exide’s Sonnenschein Solar Block is a 6V deep-cycle valve-regulated lead-acid (VRLA) gel battery. VRLA gel batteries are ubiquitous in stationary storage applications, and are the incumbent technology in the majority of RAPS systems. The Sonnenschein brand is a market leader in RAPS applications and their parent company, Exide Technologies, has been in the battery business for over 120 years.
For the purposes of the trial, 8 x SB 6/330 cells have been connected in series, to allow for total capacity of 300Ah at a nominal voltage of 48 V. The bank is connected to an SMA Sunny Island inverter which charges and discharges the battery.
Exide’s website can be accessed here.
Kokam Storaxe
| Battery Name | ADS-TEC StoraXe |
| Technology Class | Li-polymer (NMC) |
| Voltage | 3.7 V (per internal battery cell) |
| Maximum Charge Rate | - |
| Maximum Discharge Rate | - |
| Rated Capacity (@ 100% DOD) | 8.3 kWh (total unit) |
| Recommended DOD | 80% |
| Weight | 140 kg (total unit) |
| Size | 286 L (total unit) |
The StoraXe system is produced by German technology company ADS-TEC. ADS-TEC integrate their own BMS with Kokam lithium-ion battery cells manufactured in South Korea. The cells are 3.7V (nominal) 75Ah pouch type (Li-polymer) with an NMC cathode.
Kokam was established in 1989 and entered the battery business in 1998 after developing the polymer cell. The cell is now produced at large scales and marketed as having long life cycle life (60% SOH after 8000 cycles @ 80% DOD) and high energy/power density (~170 Wh/kg and 2C/4C continuous charge/discharge rates).
The unit is connected to an SMA Sunny Island inverter that charges/discharges the batteries.
ADS-TEC’s website can be accessed here. Kokam’s website can be accessed here.
LG Chem RESU
| Battery Name | LG Chem RESU |
| Technology Class | Li-ion NMC |
| Voltage | 51.8V |
| Maximum Charge Rate | - |
| Maximum Discharge Rate | 5 kW |
| Rated Capacity (@ 100% DOD) | 9.6 kWh (includes 1x 3.2 kWh expansion unit) |
| Recommended DOD | 90% |
| Weight | 90 kg (includes 1x 3.2 kWh expansion unit) |
| Size | 70 L (includes 1x 3.2 kWh expansion unit) |
The RESU system is a lithium-ion battery pack and BMS, manufactured by LG Chem in South Korea. The battery is NMC chemistry, and is available as a 6.4 kWh unit, with the possibility of expansion to 9.6 kWh and 12.8 kWh. The battery is marketed as high energy density (144 Wh/L) and long life (60% SOH after >6,000 cycles @ 90% DOD).
LG Chem is one of the largest lithium-ion battery manufacturers globally, and the RESU is an early market leader for lithium-ion batteries in RAPS and grid-connect systems.
The system at the Battery Test Centre consists of the main unit and one 3.2 kWh expansion unit, bringing the total capacity to 9.6 kWh. The battery bank is connected to an SMA Sunny Island inverter which charges and discharges the batteries.
LG Chem’s Energy Solutions website can be accessed here.
Simpliphi
| Battery Name | PHI 3.4 |
| Technology Class | LFP |
| Voltage | 51.2 VDC |
| Maximum Charge Rate | - |
| Maximum Discharge Rate | 3 kW |
| Rated Capacity (@ 100% DOD) | 3.44 kWh (per battery) |
| Recommended DOD | 100% |
| Weight | 34.8 kg (per battery) |
| Size | 24.8 L (per battery) |
Founded in 2002 as LibertyPak/Optimized Energy Storage, SimpliPhi Power designs and manufactures energy storage and management systems that utilise lithium ferro phosphate (LFP). Based in California, SimpliPhi products combine the LFP energy storage chemistry with proprietary cell and battery architecture, power electronics, Battery Management System (BMS) and assembly methods, for use in the residential, commercial, military, emergency response and film industries. SimpliPhi Power promotes its proprietary management system that further optimises the life-cycle, performance and durability of its batteries.
The 3x SimpliPhi batteries installed at the Battery Test Centre are connected to a SolaX X-Hybrid inverter which charges and discharges the battery.
Simpliphi's website can be accessed here.
Testing update: Following the publication of the Battery Test Centre Report 4 – March 2018, SimpliPhi requested a review of the inverter setpoints that were being used for the SimpliPhi battery under test in the trial. SimpliPhi has since advised ITP that the setpoints we have been using are not consistent with SimpliPhi’s revised setpoints for this product. As such, the existing SimpliPhi batteries have been cycled beyond 100% depth of discharge causing excessive wear and tear on the battery pack and resulting in significant capacity fade. This over-discharging of the battery undermines the validity of the capacity fade analysis performed under this. As such, ITP’s test results for the SimpliPhi battery up until now should not be considered a true reflection of the battery’s expected performance.
ITP is dedicated to working with SimpliPhi to provide an accurate representation of their batteries’ capabilities. SimpliPhi will replace the existing batteries with a new set and will be providing an up to date installation manual along with the integration guide for the PHI 3.5 battery and inverter that will be used in the trial to ensure that the new batteries are correctly configured with the inverter.
