A battery storage unit developed in Canada is passing crucial safety tests, according to Renewable Energy World.
The innovation, dubbed EVLOFLEX, was developed by Quebec's EVLO. It's geared to help energy companies store renewable electricity, shoring up the grid with cleaner power, the company website stated.
The product's benefits list is long, including remote-control monitoring, easy scalability, a 20-year lifespan, and "leading-edge fire protection," per EVLO.
"Through targeted adjustments, we've further strengthened EVLOFLEX's safety features," chief technology officer Michel Cousineau said in the REW story.
It starts with the pack's lithium-iron phosphate chemistry. LFP packs, an alternative to lithium-ion batteries, are championed by many experts as a safer product with solid storage capacity and long lifespans, according to Top Speed and Forbes. Samsung and General Motors are among other companies working with the tech.
REW reported that EVLOFLEX has gained crucial UL 9540 certification from Illinois's UL Solutions. It's an agency working to "support the production and use of products which are physically and environmentally safe," according to its mission statement.
The EVLOFLEX passed UL muster for design, production, testing, installation, and operation. Additionally, fire prevention, explosion containment, and hazard detection sensitivity were among the specs vetted, all per REW.
Lithium-ion fires often make headlines because of their severity. But the packs, common in EVs, are less likely to catch fire than gas-burning cars, according to multiple sources. And Top Speed reported that LFPs have "better thermal and chemical stability when compared to … lithium-ion batteries," further improving safety.
Both battery types are being used for grid storage. Tesla's Megapacks are lithium-ion units already deployed stateside. Each pack can power about 3,600 homes for an hour. That's 2.9 megawatt hours of energy, per Tesla.
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By comparison, EVLOFLEX can provide "configurable" energy for up to 2.5 megawatt hours. The packs also operate in an impressive temperature range of minus-40 degrees to 131 degrees Fahrenheit, all according to the manufacturer.
Storing renewable energy, which accounts for more than 20% of U.S. electricity production, is key to transforming our power system to more planet-friendly operations. Planet-friendly energy production is also lung-friendly, as dirty fuel fumes can harm our respiratory systems in a variety of ways, causing wheezing, asthma, and even cancer, all per the American Lung Association.
Savvy homeowners can take action at home. By capturing sun power with a rooftop system and storing it with a home-based pack, you can lower your reliance on the grid along with blackout risks. This is especially important during peak evening hours when the grid is often strained to power air conditioners and other tech. A graph showing the pattern of this usage comically resembles a duck, as reported by the U.S. Department of Energy.
Extra electricity can be sold back to the grid thanks to participation in emerging virtual power plants. And valuable tax credits remain available to help homeowners cover the costs. What's more, a government study found that the average homeowner saves around $700 a year by adding solar panels, even after deducting installation costs.
Moving forward, larger packs are poised to be deployed south of the Canada-United States border, as EVLOFLEX projects are on the docket stateside. The news includes three work orders in Virginia, set to be commissioned through 2026, according to REW.
"The projects are getting bigger. The demand is not stopping, it's just growing," Martin Rheault, EVLO vice president of business development and sales, said.
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