Lithium-ion batteries have dominated mobile applications over the years while the solar (and stationary) applications largely used Lead-acid in installations. This is changing rapidly due to a number of factors:

• Life-cycle cost - While Lithium-ion batteries may present a higher upfront cost – over the life of the batteries, they are by far the most cost effective. This is because lithium-ion batteries can take many more cycles and more importantly, they are largely maintenance free.
• Resilience - Lead-acid batteries are more vulnerable to damage especially if they are discharged closer to the 50% limit. Lead-acid batteries start showing noticeable decrease in efficiency after a few years and need to be replaced much quicker than lithium-ion batteries.
• Depth of Discharge - Lead-acid batteries are recommended to discharge up to 50% of their capacity while lithium-ion batteries can reach 80%, sometimes much higher. This means more energy is discharged per cycle than a lead-acid battery of the equivalent size. Typically, installations that use lithium-ion batteries will have be sized at a lower kWh capacity than a lead-acid of the same output.
• Superior size and weight - While this feature is more important in electric cars and other mobile applications, the use of lithium-ion produces smaller battery units (with higher densities) that can be wall-mounted for greater aesthetics.

The i-Node is an energy storage system that is designed by i-G3N to be utilised with other renewable technologies for the home/business.

An energy storage system is the answer to greater grid independence and reduced electricity costs. In the event of a power cut the i-Node restores critical loads to residential and commercial users. Batteries such as the i-Node are designed to complement solar photovoltaic (PV) systems by storing excess solar energy in the day that usually would be sent to the grid. The free energy that was stored during the day can be used in the evening at no additional cost to you.

i-G3N provides a 10 year warranty on all battery storage systems; or up to 4000 cycles at 80% Depth of Discharge (DoD).

The i-Node enables the storage of surplus solar electricity, instead of exporting it to the grid. It  allows you use more of your solar PV system’s output - increases self-consumption. This reduces the amount of grid electricity you need to buy, saving you money on your electricity bill.

Yes, the i-Node can be charged with energy from the grid. Users can set the batteries to charge with energy delivered from the grid at off peak times, and automatically transfer to battery power at peak times, in instances where this mechanism is possible.

The inverter is usually installed close to the existing distribution box at the site. The i-Node is then installed as close as possible to the inverter and is designed to be either wall or ground mounted.

During a pre-installation site inspection, with i-G3N certified installers, appropriate locations will be discussed. No installation will proceed without the approval of the project/home owner. Contrary to lead-acid systems, i-G3N’s service-free lithium-ion batteries can be installed below the inverter because they don’t emit any explosive gasses during use.

Yes, the i-Node can restore critical loads, automatically in the event of a power cut, provided that there is sufficient capacity in the battery to service the demand.

In the long term yes. By storing solar energy and using it in the evening you are offsetting what in most cases are fossil fuel generated electrons.

Kilowatt hours (kWh) are a measure in thousand-watt steps of how much energy an appliance uses in an hour. A 1,000 Watt microwave running on maximum for one hour uses 1 kWh. So does a 100 Watt light bulb if it’s on for 10 hours.

No, this function is handled by the inverter automatically. Should the energy demand be too high, even with the support of a solar generator, the inverter will shut down, giving you the chance to switch off the heavy demand appliances such as air conditioners and stoves.