Relectrify gets global green light for battery tech

Australian battery technology startup Relectrify has been given the tick of approval by the International Electrotechnical Commission for its ReVolve energy storage product, opening the way for the company to scale up the global rollout of its cell-level control technology.

March 21, 2023 David Carroll

Image: Relectrify

Relectrify is claiming a world first after the Switzerland-headquartered International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) announced the company’s 36 kW/120 kWh modular battery energy storage system has been certified as compliant with international technology standards and to specific grid connection codes.

The ReVolve battery energy storage product, which uses second-life Nissan Leaf electric vehicle (EV) battery packs, features Relectrify’s patented cell-level control technology which combines an integrated battery management system (BMS) and inverter hardware solution.

The hybrid system replaces conventional BMS and inverters with a single electronic solution that allows for control of individual cells to generate grid-compliant alternating current (AC) directly from a battery pack.

Melbourne-based Relectrify said the IEC certification marks the first time a commercial and industrial-scale energy storage product using cell-level control has been certified to the internationally recognised IEC standards.

The company said it is also the first stationary battery energy storage product using repurposed second-life EV batteries to be certified for on-grid deployment in Australia.

Relectrify co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Valentin Muenzel said the certifications prove that the company’s technology can work safely and in accordance with global technology standards, clearing the way for the company to supply the technology for grid interactive operation in the surging European and the United States (US) energy storage markets.

“We’re extremely proud to receive this strong validation that our technology is ready for wide-spread integration and global impact,” Muenzel said.

“The ReVolve demonstrates that our BMS+Inverter technology meets performance, safety, and grid compliance needs, supporting the technology’s integration in collaborative projects with leading global battery companies for residential, industrial and grid-scale applications.”

The ReVolve system features a combined BMS and inverter solution.
*Image: Relectrify*

Relectrify said the combined inverter and battery management technology revolutionises battery storage, increasing the cycle life of a lithium-ion battery by as much as a third, and reducing power electronic costs by up to 30% compared to traditional battery systems.

The technology, which can be used across residential, industrial and grid storage, using either new or second-life batteries, has already been trialled in numerous technical pilot projects around the world, including with major US utility American Electric Power, Nissan North America and New Zealand-based electricity provider Counties Energy.

Counties Energy Group Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer Moonis Vegdani said the distribution network owner will now expand its roll out of Relectrify’s storage technology to assist it with the integration of distributed energy resources in a safer, less expensive, and time efficient way.

“As an early adopter of Relectrify’s BMS+Inverter technology in a pilot program for a network scale battery system, we are thrilled to see that the Relectrify team has gained certification for grid connection,” he said. “We look forward to bringing this technology to New Zealand this year.”

The IEC certification comes just weeks after Relectrify secured financial backing from a group of international heavyweights including Japanese car giant Toyota’s venture capital firm.

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