Advertorial: BlueNova has your energy requirements covered

BlueNova

has your energy requirements covered

Load shedding is a grim reality for all South Africans. The national grid is critically constrained to such a point that the energy not supplied in 2021 has exceeded 2020 totals, and with an increased trajectory that forces even the most optimistic industry experts to admit that there is no way for the situation to be resolved within the next several years.

The more pro-active among us with the financial means have been counteracting this by installing backup and solar energy systems, and with the advent of Lithium batteries in Southern Africa, the industry has exploded. Most local electrical installers and distributors now include a fairly extensive range of Lithium-ion batteries of different brands in their product offerings. Like any collection of products, however, some Lithium batteries are simply better than others.

Enter Blue Nova Energy (Pty) Ltd, trading simply as BlueNova, a South African-based supplier of Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries and battery systems. Founded in July 2015, the company has been at the forefront of the Lithium revolution in South Africa, with a product offering that has grown to include several product ranges.

With capacities ranging from 104Wh to 1.3MWh, BlueNova’s batteries power anything from gate motors and alarm systems to complete office blocks and industrial facilities. With the ever-growing variety of Lithium batteries that consumers are presented with nowadays, setting BlueNova apart from other suppliers are its most recent product ranges, developed specifically for large commercial and industrial applications – the High Voltage Series and Intelligent Energy Storage Systems.

High Voltage Series

BlueNova’s High Voltage Series batteries are manufactured locally with A-grade LiFePO4 cells. The grading of cells is an indication of quality and is determined primarily by how much capacity the cell will lose permanently (or fade with) over its service life. All batteries fade with use over time. A-grade LiFePO4 cells are premium quality and will not fade more than 20% over a minimum service life of 10 years. Each HV Series battery includes a 10 year product warranty in support of this.

The BMS (battery management system) electronics integrated in HV Series batteries have been developed in-house by BlueNova’s development team. The basic defining functions of a BMS include cell balancing during charge and discharge cycles as well as protection against battery over-charge, over-discharge and short circuit connection. Apart from these, BlueNova’s ethos of continued innovation has led to the inclusion of additional BMS functionalities, the most notable of which is serial communication capability. This allows HV Series batteries to communicate with compatible inverters and peripheral devices to enable things like more accurate charge/discharge cycles, alarm notifications and remote monitoring functionality.

HV Series batteries are modular by design. This greatly simplifies transportation and installation at remote locations that might not allow for equipment such as forklifts or pallet jacks to be used. Furthermore, HV Series batteries are officially approved for integration with ATESS® HPS inverters – also supplied by BlueNova – and can be preconfigured to a large extent during production to further contribute to ease of on-site installation.

HV Series battery capacities range from 44kWh up to 146kWh. Up to nine HV batteries can be parallel-connected for a total capacity of more than 1.3MWh.

iESS – Intelligent Energy Storage Systems

BlueNova’s iESS systems are the flagship products of the company’s offering. Built inside 6m or 12m shipping containers, each iESS system is designed according to client requirements and typically consist of a LiFePO4 battery pack, one or more high voltage inverters, air conditioning, fire suppression, access control and local/remote monitoring components.

Like BlueNova’s High Voltage Series, iESS batteries are also built locally with A-grade LiFePO4 cells and integrated during production with BlueNova’s self-developed BMS. This means that the batteries in these systems also include a 10 year warranty and will not fade more than 20% over a minimum 10 year service life.

iESS systems have been developed in South Africa for harsh African environments, and self-contained systems are deployable virtually anywhere. Applications for which these systems have been deployed to date include backup power supply, peak shaving and load shifting. Applied correctly, the financial benefits of installing an iESS systems is such that the system pays for itself after only a few years, after which continued use becomes profitable to the owner.

Conclusion

Since its foundation in 2015, BlueNova’s footprint has grown to include South Africa, its immediate neighbours, other African countries as far north as Zambia and Kenya, and recently also the Australian continent.

In August 2019, BlueNova joined the Reunert group, a JSE-listed company and the largest engineering firm on the African continent. Most of BlueNova’s products are proudly manufactured in South Africa. Local technical support is, however, guaranteed for all BlueNova product ranges regardless of origin and supported with product warranties. With a wide range of batteries and battery systems, BlueNova has your energy requirements covered. ■

T: +27 (0)21 205 2000 E: info@bluenova.co.za W: www.bluenova.co.za