+IMPACT Magazine Issue 25

ENERGY STORAGE
REDUCE YOUR
STORAGE BATTERY
CARBON FOOTPRINT BY 85%
No one argues about the best chemistry for storage batteries because that debate
has been long settled. Lithium iron phosphate is the safest and most efficient battery
chemistry. There are two well-known acronyms that denote lithium iron phosphate
batteries: these are 1st LiFePO₄ and 2nd LiFePO₄. Both acronyms pay homage to the
chemistry, and while both point to the same makeup, there is an important and, quite
frankly, earth-saving difference. 1st LiFePO₄ batteries are commonly referred to as
first life batteries, or 1st LiFe. They only got this name to differentiate them from the
innovative second life batteries, or 2nd LiFe. So, what’s the difference?
1st LiFe batteries are either premium or, to be polite,
not-so-premium – in other words, the ones that
cost more money and the ones that cost less money.
These batteries are built for one purpose – stationary
energy storage. 2nd LiFe batteries are built from the best
cells taken from electric vehicle (EV) batteries when they
are replaced. There comes a time in an EV’s life when the
battery needs to be replaced because the weight no longer
justifies the output. These batteries are then cast aside or
dumped in landfills and replaced with new ones. However,
within these batteries are perfectly good individual cells,
and by using a meticulous process, these cells can be
repurposed. The process involves identifying the best
cells and then building new batteries with new battery
management systems. They have the same lifespan as
1st LiFe batteries but with an important added benefit:
they are made from automotive-grade cells, which are
designed to withstand much tougher operating conditions.
REVOVTM builds premium 2nd LiFe batteries.
COMPARING LIKE FOR LIKE
So, when comparing on a like-for-like basis, the REVOVTM
2nd LiFe battery is comparable to not only 1st LiFe batteries
but also to the so-called premium 1st LiFe battery on
all the important metrics, from lifespan to performance,
but different in two key areas. The first is that you get
a premium battery at a cost more similar to the – politely
speaking, again – not-so-premium 2nd LiFe batteries. In
other words, they cost more or less the same as inferior
products that are brought into the country to try to compete
on cost. However, the second differentiator is no doubt
the most important.
A 2nd LiFe battery has a carbon footprint that’s 15% of
that of a 1st LiFePO₄ battery. In other words, by choosing
a 2nd LiFe battery, an installer is reducing the storage
component of any system’s carbon footprint by 85%. Now,
if we consider that a substantial portion of battery use is
in renewable energy installations, this is a no-brainer. The
planet matters, our futures depend on it, and why would
anyone choose to increase their carbon footprint while
doing the right thing – trying to decrease their carbon
footprint by choosing solar? It makes no sense, and more
people need to know this.
LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY
Now that we have spoken about the differences between
lithium iron phosphate batteries, it is equally important
to talk about what happens after you buy the battery.
Any installation, whether it be a UPS system or solar
system, is not built for short-term gain. These are longterm
investments, and just like anything mechanical, there
could be a whole host of things that could conceivably go
wrong. Who provides the local support? In the case of noname
cheap imports, the answer is, quite simply, nobody.
Always seek out reputable local suppliers who have
the capacity to provide local support so that your battery
investment is just that, not a once-off impulsive buy that
burdens you a year or two down the line. However, the
most important consideration simply must be the planet.
If you have the chance to use a product that is equal on all
metrics except that it saves 85% on the carbon footprint of
the so-called competitor product, why would you choose
anything else? REVOVTM 2nd LiFe is about more than
a storage battery– it is a philosophy that places the wellbeing
of our planet front and centre.
40 POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 25
revov.co.za