With Eskom implementing stage 2 load-shedding, many South Africans will have to come up with solutions to keep their businesses up and running when the lights go out. Local energy start-up, iG3N has created a lithium-ion based battery, which will provide businesses with a cost-efficient way to store and use energy — especially during power outages.
“Global energy generation has become increasingly decentralised and powered by renewable power sources. As a result, it requires a reliable and secure method of storing and dispatching electricity when it is needed,” says iG3N co-founder, Tumi Mphahlele. “In South Africa, the main energy grid is unstable, and costs continue to rise. It’s essential for businesses to have a reliable and sustainable electricity supply, so that they can continue operations without disruptions.”
Currently, the alternative energy options available to businesses are limited. While companies can import batteries from China, these are not designed with load-shedding in mind. As a result, they last for a short time and are low in quality, which can often be more disruptive for businesses who need a quick solution at a moment’s notice.
Leveraging their experience within the energy, battery and engineering sectors, the team built a simple and affordable solution for businesses. “The batteries can be charged via solar power or through the grid and are designed to last at least ten years,” says Mphahlele.
While many South African businesses need a permanent solution to load-shedding, the process of finding an alternative power supply can be complicated and expensive. “Many companies will sell you more than you need. While we encourage people to convert to solar, we’ve designed our batteries to work alone as well.
“Our products are available to larger companies, as well as to every major installer and distributor in South Africa,” says Mphahlele. “Aside from that, we also want to help the average household who is looking for a simple way to help keep the power on for remote work and learning. Providing families with a quick and effective solution to be able to live without the fear of load-shedding, is really where we see the greatest impact of our product.”
iG3N is an innovative energy solutions company that aims to support the large-scale adoption of clean energy technology, through supplying high-quality battery storage units for residential and commercial use. Managing the design, development and manufacture of lithium-ion-based batteries, the company builds energy solutions that are easy to use, high quality, safe and affordable.
