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Saft Partners With Apollo Solar on US DOE 'Solar Energy Grid Integration Systems' (SEGIS) Project

Posted on: Thursday, 3 September 2009, 00:30 CDT

PARIS, September 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Saft, world leader in the design, development and manufacture of high-end batteries for industry and defence, is supplying a state-of-the-art lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery system to provide energy storage for one of the 'Solar Energy Grid Integration Systems' (SEGIS) projects funded by the US Department of Energy (DOE). Saft is working in collaboration with Apollo Solar, a company specializing in the design and manufacture of power electronics for solar energy systems, which has just been awarded a contract for the second design phase of SEGIS to deliver a working prototype of a less expensive, more efficient Smart Grid inverter.

The objective of the SEGIS program, managed by Sandia National Laboratories, is to develop high performance products that will allow photovoltaics to become a more integral part of household and commercial Smart-Energy systems.

Apollo Solar has been selected by the DOE to design and develop a cost competitive and more efficient Smart Grid inverter to enhance the value of solar electric systems to home and business users. The innovative design will incorporate energy storage and two-way communications between solar electrical systems and utilities.

The role of the Saft Li-ion battery system, which will be sized at around 10 kWh, will be to provide efficient energy storage that will enable the solar energy to be effectively 'time shifted' to make it available for home consumption during periods of peak demand, or for injection into the grid when needed either for support or when it will generate the most economic value. Saft is already demonstrating this approach in SOL-ION, a Franco-German project dedicated to the development of a new concept in energy conversion and storage for grid connected photovoltaic (PV) systems in Europe.

"The SEGIS program aims to maximise the value of distributed solar electric generation, offer greater control of electricity consumption and its cost and to anticipate the emergence of future smart grids," says John Pfeifer, President and CEO of Apollo Solar. "The inclusion of Li-ion energy storage and its capability for time-shifting was therefore a key success factor in our project proposal."

This contract means that the partnership is well-positioned to progress to the next phase of SEGIS, which will focus on the field demonstration, deployment, and commercialization of the products being developed.

About Saft

Saft (Euronext: Saft) is a world specialist in the design and manufacture of high-tech batteries for industry. Saft batteries are used in high performance applications, such as industrial infrastructure and processes, transportation, space and defence. Saft is the world's leading manufacturer of nickel-cadmium batteries for industrial applications and of primary lithium batteries for a wide range of end markets. The group is also the European leader for specialised advanced technologies for the defence and space industries. With approximately 4,000 employees worldwide, Saft is present in 18 countries. Its 15 manufacturing sites and extensive sales network enable the group to serve its customers worldwide. Saft is listed in the SBF 120 index on the Paris Stock Market.

For more information, visit Saft at http://www.saftbatteries.com

About Apollo Solar

Apollo Solar provides premium solar photovoltaic power electronics in a full line of inverters, charge controllers, and communications modules that integrate into electric power systems for fail-safe installation and use. With more than 40 years of experience in the design and manufacture of power systems for numerous industrial Fortune 500 clients, NASA, and the US military, Apollo Solar brings to the market products that feature optimal solar energy harvest and web-based communications capabilities which increase performance, enhance reliability, and reduce overall system costs. Learn more at http://www.apollosolar.com.

SOURCE Saft

Source: PR Newswire

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