LG Chem and SolaX Power have joined forces to promote the use of a new hybrid inverter and energy storage system as a total solution for the domestic solar market.
The worldwide strategic partnership will focus on SolaX Power’s Hybrid X grid-tied inverter, which offers an all-in-one charger for recharging or discharging and an on board energy management system, as well as fulfilling its role as a DC to AC inverter. The system, which can operate both on and off grid, will now be complemented by the RESU6.4EX energy storage system from LG Chem to offer a new combined solution for systems up to 5KW.
The deal has been in the planning since the middle of 2015 and follows months of extensive testing to ensure the compatibility of both systems, which the companies say confirmed the positive outcomes of the partnership, including the effect on inrush current, current limitation and the potential for recharging and discharging.
Santiago Senn, director for energy storage systems at LG Chem Europe, said: “One of the particular added values for users is the long service life combined with high reliability, which both the energy storage system and the inverter have in common.”
The new cooperative partnership has been prompted by the increasing demand for efficient energy storage systems, particularly for solar PV systems. Michael Zhu, global sale director for SolaX Power, explained: “The partnership between SolaX Power and LG Chem highlights the significance of topics like renewable energies and their efficient use. We would like to take advantage of the opportunity with LG Chem, to further expand our business relationships with wholesalers and installers, especially within the European and Australian market.”
The partnership reflects the changing policy landscape in the UK, which is moving away from the feed-in tariff (FiT) for solar generation into the promotion of storage solutions. Craig Woollaston, UK general manager for SolaX Power, told Solar Power Portal: “From our perspective we’re very confident about the future, we see big growth potential in the battery storage market. We obviously hope to see some Government backing in the not too distant future, which we believe may happen as and when the FiT is scaled back to the sort of levels that have been spoken about.
“There are two precedents for this; both Australia and Germany went down a similar road to us with a healthy government subsidy. As that went away in both those countries, government grants were given up front for new installations with battery storage. So if we follow those models, which we think is a strong possibility, we see potential for a government grant system introduced for battery storage, not least because it helps with grid capacity issues and peak demand. Storing energy generally is obviously something the government is looking to do so this sort of micro domestic storage has definitely got a place in that.”