News

Solar Grid Storage and AllCell Partner to Help Ensure Grid Stability

October 20, 2013 by Jeff Shepard

Solar Grid Storage LLC announced the selection of AllCell Technologies LLC as a preferred supplier of large lithium-ion battery systems for their PowerFactor™ solar + storage systems. The Solar Grid Storage PowerFactor™ system provides commercial solar project developers with a turnkey energy storage solution bundled with an inverter, dramatically reducing project costs and increasing benefits to all stakeholders. AllCell’s passive thermal management system allows Solar Grid Storage to place both the battery system and inverter into a single ISO container — a significant reduction in complexity, cost, size, and weight compared to other options in the market today.

As more and more intermittent renewable resources like wind and solar are installed and connected to electrical grids, the grid manager’s challenge of maintaining the balance between supply and demand increases. Large-scale batteries, with their ability to instantly either supply or absorb power, provide a powerful tool to ease the job of grid managers. The Solar Grid Storage PowerFactor™ storage system allows solar developers a simple and cost effective way to integrate storage into projects typically ranging from 100 kilowatts to 10 megawatts. The PowerFactor™ inverter acts as a standard solar inverter delivering AC power to the building but also can be used during power outages enabling the PV system plus batteries to provide emergency power indefinitely.

AllCell’s battery system, protected by the company’s proprietary thermal management system, offers a safer, longer lasting, and more economical solution than conventional large scale batteries. Effective thermal management is important in any battery system, but it is especially critical in larger high-power systems. AllCell’s patented technology utilizes a composite phase change material (PCM) to surround each cell within the battery, absorbing and distributing heat to reduce battery temperature and prevent thermal runaway propagation. The PCM technology allows the PowerFactor™ system design to maximize safety and cycle life.

“Solar Grid Storage has assembled an all-star team with a cutting edge business model,” commented AllCell CEO Said Al-Hallaj. “The solar and power balancing markets are large and rapidly growing, and we look forward to continuing to innovate and drive the market forward with our industry partners at Solar Grid Storage.”

“AllCell has been instrumental in helping Solar Grid Storage create a market leading product that meets the rigorous technical and financial requirements of our model,” said Tom Leyden, CEO of Solar Grid Storage.