The Commercial and Industrial (C&I) sector is experiencing remarkable growth in energy storage systems, with projections indicating a substantial revenue increase from $968.4 million in 2016 to a projected $10.8 billion by 2025, according to Navigant Research. Global C&I Energy Storage System (ESS) power capacity deployments are expected to surge from 499.4 MW to an impressive 9.1 GW.^[1]

Presently, the commercial battery storage market is dominated by ESS Cabinet, posing a challenge owing to their substantial size.

These devices typically require a substantial amount of space. In some countries, safety regulations dictate a minimum safety distance of approximately 3 meters and may also specify a minimum gap between cabinets for effective system cooling. These requirements place considerable constraints on installation locations, particularly in urban settings or scenarios where space is limited, resulting in significant additional costs or even making the solution impractical.

Another emerging issue is the prevalent capacity range of 200 to 500 kWh in mainstream ESS Cabinet. This poses challenges for small and medium-sized C&I scenarios with capacity requirements below 200 kWh, leading to over-sizing of energy.

Consider a project with a capacity requirement of 120 kWh, necessitating the use of a 200 kWh cabinet to meet its needs. However, this approach could lead to almost a 50% over-sizing using existing solutions. In the case of a 280 kWh capacity requirement, configuring two 200 kWh cabinets would result in a 30% over-sizing, significantly inflating the initial investment.

Schools, hospitals, wineries, and farms, due to their small-scale nature, frequently encounter the challenges mentioned above. Existing solutions often fall short in meeting their specific needs while providing a competitive return on investment (ROI).

SigenStor, introduced by Sigenergy, aims to alter this situation.

Sigenergy's C&I product adopts an innovative modular approach. SigenStor, a 5-in-1 energy storage system, combines battery packs, battery PCS, EMS, EVDC charging modules, and an inverter. Its key feature lies in its flexibility, allowing users to choose the battery capacity based on their requirements. SigenStor provides two battery sizes, 5 kWh and 8 kWh, which are interchangeable. A single device supports 1-6 battery stacks, reaching a maximum capacity of 48 kWh (6*8 kWh). Moreover, a single array can accommodate up to 30 SigenStor devices in parallel connection, providing a total capacity of up to 1,440 kWh. Upon connecting multiple arrays, users have the flexibility to dynamically select the battery capacity to fulfill larger requirements.

SigenStor’s advantages over other C&I energy storage solutions include:

Flexible Configuration

SigenStor's modular design, featuring a small battery capacity per module, mitigates the risk of over-sizing. This design allows for a tailored approach to diverse energy storage requirements across various sites. For example, in a project in Spain requiring an energy storage capacity of 120 kWh, users can opt for three SigenStor devices in parallel (8 kWh*6*2+8kWh*3=120 kWh), with flexible combinations of battery stacks to achieve the desired total capacity.

As illustrated in the image below, SigenStor exhibits versatility in accommodating various application scenarios. For instance, in a 300-square-meter farm shed, two SigenStors equipped with 6 batteries of 8 kWh each generate a total energy storage capacity of 96 kWh. Similarly, in a 2000-square-meter charging carport, seven SigenStors, each with 6 batteries of 8 kWh, yield a combined energy storage capacity of 336 kWh.

Additionally, SigenStor's modular design facilitates easy expansion. One of our projects, a chicken farm, initially started with two batteries (8 kWh*2) but seamlessly incorporated two additional batteries later to meet increased demand.

Ease of Installation

The modular design of SigenStor, weighing less than 75 kg per module, streamlines installation without the need for cranes. Two adults can effortlessly manage the installation process. In contrast, the ESS Cabinet, weighing over 500 kg, necessitates cranes for installation, thereby escalating installation costs.

For SigenStor, the inclusion of quick connectors, acting as self-guiding plugs, between modules eliminates on-site wiring, markedly reducing installation time. Conversely, the ESS Cabinet demands cranes for installation and entails extensive on-site wiring for battery cabinets, PCS cabinets, PV inverter cables, and auxiliary power supply cables, significantly amplifying the workload.

Less Footprint

Thanks to its modular design, SigenStor boasts a smaller footprint compared to other offerings in the market. Calculations indicate that SigenStor can achieve nearly a 50% reduction in installation area, attributed to the higher energy density of its batteries. This addresses a significant challenge in projects where spatial constraints play a pivotal role, a feat not easily achievable with existing solutions.

Let's undertake a simple comparison with a mainstream manufacturer, Vendor X. Consider the task of designing an energy storage system with a capacity of 480 kWh. Vendor X necessitates 6 square meters of space (comprising 3.77 square meters for the battery cabinet and 2.21 square meters for the PCS cabinet) and weighs approximately 8 tons. In contrast, Sigenergy’s solution only occupies 1.82 square meters and weighs 4.7 tons. This translates to a remarkable space savings of over 60%.

SigenStor offers a host of distinctive advantages tailored for C&I scenarios, and we'll soon be releasing more articles to delve into these details. Stay tuned for more updates!