ANNUAL REPORT 2011 REGISTRATION DOCUMENT - Saft

ACTIVITIES
INDUSTRIAL BATTERY GROUP
kEY EVENT
32 / SAFT - ANNUAL REPORT 2011
STATIONARY
BACk-UP POWER
Industrial standby
The IBG division develops and manufactures nickelbased
batteries capable of guaranteeing back-up
power in the event of a grid failure. The oil and gas
industry represents approximately one third of the
company’s sales in this segment. Other uses include
emergency back-up for the power generation and
electricity distribution sector, as well as railway signalling
systems.
Sales of standby nickel-based battery solutions for
the oil and gas industry were buoyant, marking a
strong recovery over 2010. Sales to the Middle East
were particularly strong, after a turnaround in the
market situation. In 2011, Saft launched its new
maintenance-free Uptimax battery, which continues
to provide enhanced performance even in high
ambient temperatures (+40° C).
Telecommunications networks
The role of batteries for telecom network back-up is
to provide power in case of grid failure. Whatever
the application, fixed wireline, cable or cellular, Saft
can offer the most appropriate battery technology
– nickel-based or lithium-ion. This enables Saft to
design, manufacture and supply optimum, efficient
and reliable back-up power systems.
Saft is investing heavily in telecom solutions and
sales in 2011 made solid progress. Saft already
offers two ranges of battery solutions using different
technologies. A major event during the year was the
launch of the Evolion Li-ion back-up power battery
for telecom networks. Designed to fit even the smallest
cabinets in the network, it maintains power in
IN 2011, SAFT INAUGURATED
THE WORLD’S MOST ADVANCED
AUTOMATED LI-ION BATTERY
FACTORY IN JACkSONVILLE,
FLORIDA.
The $200 million facility builds products and
systems for renewable energy storage, telecom,
back-up power, transportation and defence.
case of grid failure. The Evolion is ultra-compact and
lightweight and can be installed inside or outside,
on or off-grid and in extreme temperatures.
ENERGY STORAGE
Saft’s IBG division is beginning to benefit from the
new opportunities in the energy storage market,
driven particularly by increased demand for renewable
energy. Lithium-ion batteries are ideally suited for
several applications in this market.
Saft is addressing energy storage systems at different
levels – in homes with solar panels for store and use
– in neighbourhood micro-networks where a battery
can be used to share stored energy – and on the
grid to store energy from solar farms to smooth output
variations, regulate the frequency, and stabilise
the grid. The Jacksonville factory is now producing
the battery systems to meet the growing demand
of these applications.
Saft has also received a number of important orders
for its energy storage solutions. For example, Saft will
supply renewable energy storage for 2500 R Street,
California’s first micro-grid distributed energy community
housing project. Saft is also a partner in the
Nice Grid project in France, a life-size demonstration
of the flexibility and versatility of electricity storage
using Li-ion batteries with an overall storage capacity
of some 2.7 MWh. In addition, Saft will deliver two
containerised Intensium Max 20E energy storage
batteries to the Big Island of Hawaii and will support
the Millener smart grid project in France’s Island territories
with its state-of-the-art Li-ion energy storage
systems.
Energy storage systems is expected to be a highgrowth
area for Saft in the coming years.