Global leading PV inverter and energy storage system provider Sungrow successfully showcased new low- and medium-voltage solutions for the commercial and industrial (C&I) energy storage system (ESS) market in South Africa during the C&I Summit in Johannesburg on November 18. Over 200 partners and industry experts attended the summit to witness the launch and exchange insights.

South Africa's energy market is heavily coal-dependent, with coal making up 85% of power generation. However, frequent load shedding disrupts business operations and stifles economic growth, prompting many businesses, especially in the commercial and industrial sectors, to adopt solar power with integrated ESS solutions.

During the summit, Sungrow introduced a range of new C&I ESS solutions to South Africa, addressing the growing demand for reliable, cost-effective power for businesses. These solutions not only support South Africa's energy transition but also contribute to reducing carbon emissions, promoting a greener and more sustainable future.

AC Couple Solution: Retrofitting Ready

The AC coupling solution is friendlier for customers who already have a PV inverter installed. The solution delivers a 257 kWh capacity (two-hour system) or 514 kWh capacity (four-hour system) in cabinet design. With Sungrow’s renowned AC Block product design, the system ensures a round-trip efficiency of around 90%. It also supports a 100% single-phase unbalanced load, eliminating the need for an isolation transformer, which can lower the overall cost. Additionally, the advanced liquid cooling technology can extend the system's lifespan over 12 years.

DC Couple Solution: Flexible Expansion for a New Era

The DC coupling solution supports multiple layout configurations, offering adaptable deployment for diverse site requirements. It can also fit more PV panels, ensuring higher efficiency. Moreover, it is also equipped with a patented pressure relief structure, which prevents the lid from popping off. The pack-level replacement can simplify maintenance and serviceability, resulting in a faster turnaround and lower levelised cost of energy, bringing more benefits to customers. Further, Sungrow will have a new modular battery called PowerKeeper ST050CF series incoming, offering flexible capacity and long-duration storage.

Medium Voltage Solution: AC Block Empowering Higher Integration

For a client with a higher power demand, increased load consumption, or higher grid voltage. The PowerTitan 2.0 will be the right choice. The solution highlights can be summarised into three key areas: profitability, safety and eco-friendliness. The unique design of PowerTitan 2.0 improves the system’s consistency and increases system discharge capacity by 8%. Also, the AI-controlled thermal balance can reduce auxiliary power consumption by 45%. With the AC block design, 80% of onsite commission work is completed inside the factory, offering quick connections and early profit for customers. Moreover, the system’s safety design covers four essential parts: prevention, detection, suppression, and protection, ensuring the highest level of operating safety.

During the panel session, experts from Sungrow and industry leaders engaged in a comprehensive discussion on the evolving value perception, key challenges, and the role of policy in transforming into actionable incentives for the C&I ESS market in South Africa.

“We have already deployed over 1 000 C&I projects around the world,” stated  Sungrow sub-Saharan Africa head Nigel Sun. “Our C&I solutions are widely adopted across regions like Europe, Asica-Pacific region, and South Africa. With comprehensive service support, we believe we can help in accelerating the integration of renewable energy across the Middle East and Africa region and build a ‘win-win’ ecosystem for sustainable growth together.”