Samsung SDI to launch residential ESS products

Samsung SDI’s high-capacity energy storage system module. [SAMSUNG SDI]

Samsung SDI aims to strengthen its dominant presence in the global residential energy storage market by introducing newly designed modules at an exhibition in Germany.

Samsung’s battery-making arm said Monday it is unveiling residential energy storage system products at Intersolar Europe 2017, the world’s largest exhibition for the ESS and solar industries, which begins on Wednesday.

Residential ESS is a battery system installed in homes. It saves electricity generated from solar panels in batteries for later use. Samsung SDI supplies battery modules of the residential ESS to end product manufacturers. It previously produced completed products but withdrew the business this year.

The company will show off high-capacity and high-voltage ESS modules at the exhibition.

The so-called high-capacity modules are scalable to connect maximum 39 basic modules with a 4.8 kilowatt-hour capacity. This means the storage capacity can increase up to 39 times or roughly 188 kWh. The large connection was not possible before due to product instability, the company said.

Samsung’s unit is also debuting high-voltage ESS modules that can increase its voltage from 50 to 600 volts. The module connected a number of cylindrical batteries to materialize high voltage. High-voltage modules enable homes to more easily generate widely used 200 voltage and save on the costs of parts needed for voltage transformation, according to the company.

The company expects both modules’ high scalability to attract European customers with varying electricity demands at homes. “With a subtle change in product design, complete product makers can produce ESS systems with different capacities and voltage,” the company noted.

Mass production of the two models will begin in the latter half of this year. The company expects to reap tangible profit from the modules beginning next year.

According to market research firm B3, the residential market is expected to grow by an average 16 percent annually until 2020. Last year, Samsung SDI captured 30 percent of the global residential ESS market, the largest in the sector.

BY KIM JEE-HEE [kim.jeehee@joongang.co.kr]