International Battery partners in Maui project

The project, recently put into operation, will assess the effectiveness of storing solar energy using new, more-efficient battery technology.

The renewable energy system is comprised of sixty 224-watt photovoltaic panels, a bi-directional 3-phase inverter system, and a state-of-the-art charge controller network provided by system integrator, HNU Energy located in Maui, Hawaii. International Battery supplied a 48V, 16.4kWh lithium-ion based energy storage system – complete with battery management and controls – to store the energy generated from the solar array.

The energy storage system includes four battery modules totaling 32 160Ah lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells and a battery management system (BMS) that is integrated into a standard Electronics Industry Alliance (EIA) style 19” portable rack mount chassis and enclosure. For easy management and monitoring of the batteries, International Battery’s comprehensive BMS monitors and controls the entire battery system. Key to overall system performance is knowing the health and charge state of the individual battery cells as well as understanding the temperature, depth of discharge and charging status.

“We’re excited to implement International Battery’s proven battery technology and management system as part of our hybrid renewable energy solution for the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) project,” said Dan O’Connell, CEO and founder of HNU Energy. “International Battery’s turnkey system and engineering capabilities made them a perfect partner for this project. Their ability to respond very quickly and design a system specific for this application was extremely beneficial. We are very impressed with their manufacturing process. It is based on an environmentally friendly water based process; a first in the industry.”

Dr. Ake Almgren, president and CEO of International Battery said, “We are pleased to partner with HNU Energy and demonstrate the effectiveness of our energy storage systems for the MEDB. Our lithium-ion battery modules are the ideal energy storage solution due to the high energy density, robust thermal and cycling performance as well as easy system expandability. We are very excited about our first project in Hawaii and we look forward to working with HNU Energy on many other projects in Hawaii in the near future.”

Maui is at the forefront of renewable energy in Hawaii, due largely to the efforts of the county’s mayor, Charmaine Tavares. This installation is in line with her vision of moving Maui County toward renewable energy sources to spur sustainable economic growth. In a recent editorial she said, “For our future viability, building a new green and sustainable economy is one of the most important challenges and possibilities facing us. In partnership with the MEDB, Maui Community College, the U.S. Department of Energy and many volunteers, we recently convened our second Energy Expo, which was again sold out. This gathering of experts and resources offered a terrific opportunity to stimulate businesses and government to make a new green and sustainable economy a reality.”