Amidst SA’s energy crisis, the need for alternative power solutions has never been greater. An upcoming pilot project spearheaded by ABC Solar, a leading provider of solar solutions, will showcase how an innovative Energy Storage System (ESS) akin to a shipping container can be a reliable, all-in-one source of backup electricity for businesses and more.
ABC Solar, local leading distribution partner of Huawei FusionSolar, is collaborating with Terrafirma Solutions to set up a megawatt hour Huawei FusionSolar Smart String ESS for a commercial private sector client in the month coming. Terrafirma Solutions is a leading turnkey energy engineering solution provider based in sub-Saharan Africa.
The Huawei FusionSolar LUNA2000 Smart String ESS is essentially a containerised solution that pulls electricity from the national grid, when available, and stores it safely for use during power outages. This means that all components, from the batteries and (PCS) to the air conditioning system and cables are ready to go, and customers need only to find the space to place the container housing them. This pre-assembly saves significant construction costs and time.
Siqi Lu, Vice President of ABC Solar, says there’s a wide range of possible applications for this product in SA, such as in petrol stations, banks, office parks, wineries, hospitals, and schools. She gives the example of a housing estate, where one or two containers could cater for the needs of the whole community instead of those in individual houses or apartments needing to research and invest in component-based ESS solutions or the like. Lu mentions mining as a key sector that could benefit from this cutting-edge technology. “We have a lot of mining houses purely depending on burning diesel to power generators, which is bad for the environment and also costs a lot of money.”
As one of the larger and most well-established industries in the country, manufacturing is another sector that would likely be highly interested in the many advantages the Huawei FusionSolar LUNA2000 Smart String ESS offers.
“The downtime of load shedding has created a lot of loss for the owners of such businesses,” says Lu. “By having a containerised power solution on site at the manufacturing space, those businesses wouldn’t have to sacrifice those two or four hours of downtime; they could operate as ‘normal’ instead of cutting their productivity.” Not only can a Huawei FusionSolar LUNA2000 Smart String ESS allows businesses to carry on as normal during load-shedding or other unplanned electricity outages, but it allows for steady power supply in critical situations.
Lu says this product is a step above the rest because its power supply is highly reliable, and the operation and maintenance is simplified. “The safety features it includes are undeniably noteworthy and contribute significantly to its appeal,” she adds, addressing the ongoing concerns around the flammability of battery-based power solutions. The Huawei FusionSolar LUNA2000 Smart String ESS is designed to maximise the utilisation of stored energy with the innovative optimisation of individual battery packs and fault detection processes. Each battery pack has 13 temperature sensors and 16 voltage sensors to monitor performance and fire risks in real time.
Beyond this, Huawei being a well-known name, is another drawcard for those desperately seeking a solution that’ll provide peace of mind when it comes to a reliable electricity supply. The company operates in over 170 countries and regions, with over 195 000 employees globally. It invests heavily in research and development (R&D) and is ranked at number two globally. In fact, over half of its staff globally are in the R&D sector. At the same time, ABC Solar has been doing business in the renewable energy sector for over decades.
While there is a lot of growth in the solar industry currently and other containerised solutions are already on the market in SA, Lu says that trustworthiness and transparency are key components that are often lacking. “Our mission is to create an affordable, sustainable, renewable energy sector; this requires all the stakeholders in the industry to play together,” she explains. “A lot of people will find this industry is unregulated and overcosting, because not everyone understands [processes] from A to Z, or how to pull one solid solution together.” With its planned pilot project, which is a first for SA to hit the ground, ABC Solar is hoping to show leading industry players and possible clients that the Huawei FusionSolar LUNA2000 Smart String ESS is the best choice. “Instead of waiting for someone else to give you a solution, you can start the conversation by saying ‘can we use Huawei FusionSolar containerised solutions for my factory or estate?’“
Although this particular containerised solution is new to the country, Huawei has already managed to establish it well in other regions like the Far East, Middle East, and Europe. For instance, the company provided solutions to the world’s largest gigga-watts-level micro-grid project in Saudi Arabia. This solution, which is 400MW and 1.3Gwh, is completely off the national grid and powered by renewable energy safely, despite high temperatures, humidity and presence of salt spray saving 100% PV + ESS power supply in the Red Sea new city. Lu says this proves Huawei can pull off creating something from nothing. “So, it comes late to our own land, the Huawei FusionSolar LUNA2000 Smart String ESS is sure to become a hot topic; it’s going to change the way we see renewable energy and it will open new chapters.”
“I think it’s time for ABC Solar to stand up as a industry player,” Lu says. “Going forward, our mission is to be involved in the conversation that [securing a reliable energy supply] should be an affordable process, which is transparent, and safety should be prioritized.”
Interested industry players or individuals are encouraged to connect with ABC Solar on their website and social media, including LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. South Africans should also keep an eye out for possible free workshops introducing Huawei FusionSolar LUNA2000 containerised solutions in more detail.
