Powin Energy and Ideal Power Converters to Co-develop Modular Grid Storage Solution.

Powin Energy will begin utilizing Ideal Power Converters’ (IPC) patented bi-directional battery converters as part of the Powin Energy Grid Storage Solution. IPC is a leader in developing disruptive electronic power converter products. Through this development agreement, Powin and IPC will jointly develop the Powin Energy Module Grid Storage solution and validate the system with independent testing labs and utilities.

“Powin Energy’s Modular Grid-Storage provides four hours of cost-effective storage with Lithium Phosphate batteries that is ideal for daily load leveling and peak demand reduction,” said Paul Bundschuh, Vice President of Business Development, Ideal Power Converters. “Powin Energy is an early leader in this new multi-billion dollar grid storage market, and IPC is pleased to work with them on development, utility validation and market adoption of these products.”

Bi-directional battery converters convert Alternating Current (AC) from the power grid to Direct Current (DC) needed to charge batteries and then invert the DC current from the batteries back to the AC grid. An efficient, low cost, reliable converter is required to achieve this.

Ideal Power Converters’ initial product, a 30kW photovoltaic inverter is already receiving industry recognition for its 90 percent reduction is size and weight over conventional inverters, while providing isolation without a transformer. Its transformer-less isolation topology may be even more beneficial in energy storage applications. Its next product is a bi-directional battery converter that will be used by Powin Energy. Both IPC’s photovoltaic (PV) inverter and bi-directional battery converter are based on the same Universal Power Converter™ platform, allowing IPC to leverage a common hardware design and manufacturing logistics across multiple markets. (5/29/12)

Links.

Powin Energy Storage Solutions

Ideal Power Converters

Related.

Powin Energy Set to Launch Scalable Energy Storage Solutions.

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