As African countries balance the need to make more electricity with global shifts away from fossil-fuel power, an energy mix that includes renewable resources will play a crucial role.

Energy demand is growing and over 600 million people on the continent lack access to modern energy services in the home, which means that energy costs also need to be lowered.

People in Sub Saharan Africa are often frustrated by unstable grids that go through an average of nine power outages a month. These outages go on for an average of six hours according to World Bank Enterprise Surveys.

“Solar resources are abundant on the continent and households should be ready to take advantage of this,” says Nick Lusson, Vice President of Huawei Digital Power East Africa. “As decarbonisation takes place, innovative players like Huawei want to collaborate with governments to find long-term solutions to issues like energy poverty and security.”

One way to do this is with tools that change how energy is used at the household level. 55% of all energy on the continent is used to run homes. Huawei’s home power solutions, whether for battery storage or getting the entire home off grid, provide safe and efficient ways for African households to harness renewable resources.

The Power-M unit

Power-M is Huawei’s advanced digital back-up power solution that is geared towards meeting power supply needs of modern homes. The all in one back up power unit can seamlessly switch between grid, battery power, diesel gensets and solar power within 0.02 seconds.

“These characteristics don’t just make Power-M useful across remote areas or cities, users won’t even know there is a power outage thanks to its seamless switching capabilities,” says Lusson. “Even if you live in an apartment and have limited space, Power-M's small footprint of around 0.1m² means you can use it in most places.”

Power-M is designed with modern aesthetics in mind. Not only does the unit’s solid aluminium alloy enclosure provide each cell with heat, dust and water-resistant protection for added safety. The frosted enamel finish and a visual power display mean it fits well in any residential space.

“Because solar panels can be added to Power-M when needed, the system is suitable for today’s energy grid as well as that of the future,” Lusson says.

Common backup power systems are not easily expandable, forcing people to upgrade if they need more capacity. This is because older batteries typically limit the production capacity of newer ones.

“Batteries for the Power-M are not limited in this way thanks to their built-in optimisers which allow each cell to function at its own capacity,” says Lusson. “With Huawei you can just add a new battery.”

Its 6kva power module gives you live updates about the battery capacity while avoiding easily damaged parts such as LCD displays and buttons which only last about five to seven years.

“It is beautiful and easy to install and use. It is strong enough for even the worst grid conditions and suitable for apartments, and houses of varying sizes,” Lusson adds.

Residential Smart-String ESS

The Residential Smart-String ESS (previously called the LUNA) is a full home solar photovoltaic (PV) system that allows for complete grid independence. Energy storage systems have become vital in areas with unstable power grids or where countries face electricity shortages.

This solution comes in different scopes, 10 kW with 5 kWh or 7kWh battery capacity per module which is expandable to 30 kWh. These can also be installed in parallel for extra capacity.

“By capturing and storing renewable energy, the Residential Smart-String ESS system future-proofs homes on the continent with the latest technology,” says Lusson.

PV systems can span many rooftops, and these are not always flat. Shade or other factors can also prevent panels from working at their best, and common systems on the market are inefficient when facing these conditions.

Huawei can address this with optimisers that boost performance by up to 30%.

Smart Guard accessories enable intelligent energy management with features like remote scheduling across devices. Another accessory called grid box allows homes fitted with the Residential Battery to connect to the grid, enabling them to add power to relieve pressure on centralised grid systems.

Long-term sustainability

“Huawei’s home energy products come with a 10-year warranty. The ability to run remote diagnostics means that you’ll never need to have a technician at your house for a repair,” says Lusson.

“We also have a policy of providing full replacement when warranty issues are found,” he adds. “No repairs and no spare parts.”

Long term use is also enabled through intelligent monitoring features that are baked into the Residential Smart-String ESS. The quicker we know about problems, the quicker we can address them, and Huawei technicians are able to do this through the integrated Fusion solar app.

Whether you need backup power or an off grid-solution that enables multiple energy sources to be plugged into your home – Huawei’s residential products can meet a wide range of needs. The long-term sustainability of these products, coupled with their smart capabilities make them a formidable, future proofed way to power your life in a city or in a remote community.