US advanced energy storage solutions firm Imergy Power Systems has signed a deal to supply 105 vanadium redox flow batteries to a South Africa-based telecoms company.
The 5kW, 20-30kWh Imergy ESP5 batteries will replace diesel generators and lead-acid batteries to provide backup power at telecom base stations throughout South Africa.
The batteries will contain electrolyte using South African sourced vanadium.
The country’s unreliable grid power is known to quickly degrade lead-acid batteries, whereby the ESP5 batteries can be charged or discharged to any state of charge with minimal degradation and performance loss.
Imergy’s CEO Bill Watkins said: “Our energy storage systems’ fast charge rates, unlimited cycling and durability in rugged, remote outdoor environments are the reasons why customers like this mobile telecommunications network group are choosing them to help ensure uninterrupted power service to millions of customers.”
The unnamed mobile telecommunications company provides services to more than 200 million subscribers in Africa, Europe and the Middle East.
The new deal follows a pilot of 20 systems which successfully provided backup power to base station sites in the country.
