China’s BYD launches new battery storage products in Australian market

China electric vehicle and battery storage giant BYD has unveiled a new product line of modular battery storage systems, targeting both households and businesses in what it says is one of the world’s most attractive markets.

BYD, which already claims to be the world’s biggest supplier of rechargeable batteries, says its new B-Box battery energy storage systems will scale from just 2.5kWh for households with small solar arrays, to up to 80kWh.

Various arrays for business customers can provide up to 50kWh or 409kWh depending on the circumstances and voltage.

byd storage homeThe company, due to hold its launch event at Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art on Wednesday evening, says the battery storage systems are based on lithium iron-phosphate chemistry, which it says has an outstanding safety record.

(This could be crucial given the likelihood of new standards which could impose restrictions on some battery chemistries).

BYD said it has chosen Australia to launch its expanded B-Box battery storage systems because the country is “currently one of the most attractive markets for solar PV and storage deployment.”

Numerous other competing battery storage providers, such as Tesla, LG Chem, Enphase and others have also chosen Australia as the launch-pad for their products, thanks to high electricity tariffs, lots of sunshine, and the expiry of premier solar feed-in tariff schemes.

BYD says the low voltage residential series is available in four capacities, ranging from 2.5kWh to 10.0 kWh and can be scaled up to 80kWh. The high voltage commercial models can be scaled up to a maximum capacity of 409 kWh, providing more than enough power for an energy-intensive medium-size business

BYD, which stands for Build Your Dreams, is the world’s largest provider of integrated renewable energy solutions, and claims to be the only company that specializes in four comprehensive industries including solar modules, energy storage systems, electric vehicles, and rail transportation.

“The B-Box series offers a wide range of renewable power capabilities to meet light to heavy electrical load lifestyle, enabling its users to reduce reliance on electricity from fossil fuels, especially when combined with BYD’s solar power systems, thus drastically cutting energy costs,” the company says.

It has announced four authorised distributors for the B-Box sales in Australia: Sol Distribution Pty Ltd., RF Industries Pty Ltd., 360 Energy Pty Ltd and Solar Australia Pty Ltd.

BYD storage

Comments

18 responses to “China’s BYD launches new battery storage products in Australian market”

  1. George Darroch Avatar
    George Darroch

    If you get an indicative retail price on a 10kWh box (with/without inverter) that would be appreciated. And is that 6000 warrantied cycles?

    1. Peter Avatar
      Peter

      I would really like to compare that with Tesla power walls.

    2. Peter Avatar
      Peter

      I would really like to compare that with Tesla power walls.

      1. Chris Marshalk Avatar
        Chris Marshalk

        What about the costs??? I have no Solar or batteries yet.

    3. Steve159 Avatar
      Steve159

      Assuming one cycle per day (e.g. once per night, assuming solar power through the day) that’s over 16 years.

    4. Steve159 Avatar
      Steve159

      Assuming one cycle per day (e.g. once per night, assuming solar power through the day) that’s over 16 years.

      1. Miles Harding Avatar
        Miles Harding

        Conclusion:It’s not that!
        Cell makers (Winston) will indicate cycle life of 8,000 cycles, but the cycles have to be shallow and frequent. In this context, 2 or more per day and a depth of 30% would likely be possible.

    5. 小杜 (xiao du) Avatar
      小杜 (xiao du)

      I’d take the cycle claim as ‘interesting’.
      LFP is usually in the 2k-3k cycle range depending on treatment.

      6000 cycles doesn’t sound correct, unless they’re using marketing optimism / fake truth, or a completely different chemistry.

      1. MaxG Avatar
        MaxG

        5000 cycles is more accurate based on the research I have seen. But as always, it depends on how they are treated 😉

        1. Sean Sweetser Avatar
          Sean Sweetser

          Fronius are LiFePO4 and they claim 8000 cycles. Fronius are not ones to exaggerate either.

          @georgedarroch:disqus engineered life and warranty are two separate things. If it was warranted cycles it would say so.

  2. trackdaze Avatar
    trackdaze

    Australia a good place with its expensive coal, gas and network costs.

    1. Steve159 Avatar
      Steve159

      I wonder how fast “expensive coal” will gain widespread use and how soon it will be seen as a tautology.

    2. Bristolboy Avatar
      Bristolboy

      Whilst bad news for Australian citizens, the high electricity prices resulting in large scale storage deployment will actually be good for these technologies worldwide.

      1. brucelee Avatar
        brucelee

        Wow, I never thought of it like that. Australians are effectively subsidising global residential battery development with our high priced energy markets. Turnbull would hate that

  3. Robert Comerford Avatar
    Robert Comerford

    This battery chemistry is welcome in my house. I have converted as much as I can to LiFePO4 cells for many years now.

  4. Ruben Avatar
    Ruben

    Only 500W per module, so you’d have to get at least four modules to get any kind of usable power out of this.

    It’s a little bit annoying that there aren’t any prices, but I think that it’s very encouraging that the Chinese are stepping up their game. Hopefully they’ll muscle in the same way they did with solar and make the Gigafactory irrelevant within 10 years.

    1. solarguy Avatar
      solarguy

      Put your glasses on mate. No where does it mention only 500watts.

    2. Miles Harding Avatar
      Miles Harding

      The battery modules are dumb cells (with a monitor/bms) and require external management and an external inverter/charger.

      My calc is 16 x 3.2V LiFePO4, 50AH in the base module and a 2C max discharge. This sounds to be a very reasonable specification, given that these aren’t traction batteries. The chemistry is appropriate, durable and safe.

      The spec table has confused calendar life and cycle life, the actual calendar life being absent.

      Given that the inverter is separate, we should expect the battery to be compaitively cheap.

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