By 
SAN FRANCISCO, July 12, 2016 /pvbuzz media/ — Pika Energy will offer bidirectional smart battery converters to enable breakthrough integrated solar and energy storage solutions, the company announced at the Intersolar North America conference in San Francisco.
A leading provider of smart power electronics for solar-plus-storage, Maine-based Pika Energy said its new B Link battery converter opens up a new segment of the energy storage market by enabling solar equipment suppliers and installers to connect currently-available battery technology to next-generation inverters.
B Link is on display at Pika Energy’s booth (#8125) at the EES Pavilion at Intersolar North America.
“We’re pleased to announce B Link, our latest product to take full advantage of the simplicity and flexibility of Pika Energy’s power electronics platform,” said Pika Energy President Ben Polito. “Until now, broad adoption of solar-plus-storage has awaited mature battery solutions with the right mix of features, form factor and pricing. With B Link, virtually any conventional battery technology ranging from lead acid to lithium ion can be used to make a highly efficient, compact smart battery ideal for load shifting, demand response and backup power applications.”
The B Link features 30-amp charging, bidirectional power flow and a peak power capacity of 8000W. The converter is designed to connect high voltage battery stacks to REbus™, Pika Energy’s patented plug-and-play 380VDC nanogrid.
“Our B Link converter does for batteries what our PV Link™ optimizer does for solar modules, allowing safe, fast, flexible integration of a large assortment of widely-available technology options,” said Pika Chief Technology Officer Joshua Kaufman.
With a compact size (16.5″ x 6.5″ x 3.7″, 13.05 lbs) and high efficiency and peak power, B Link has already begun attracting OEM partners who will use B Link to assemble smart batteries, energy storage systems, or, in the case of Ontario-based Sentinel Solar, both. Sentinel Solar selected B Link after determining it is the optimal solution for building cost-effective, small form factor and flexible systems that can turn a range of conventional battery options into a “smart battery” solution.
“With the large range of battery technologies emerging in the market place, we felt it was very important to partner with Pika Energy as their focus aligned with ours,” said Sentinel Solar President Adam Webb. “With our smart battery approach, we are solving the integration of a wide range of new batteries into both existing and new system installations, which will enable past and future projects to be built with a platform that will save installers valuable time without compromising on system quality.”
Pika Energy says B Link will begin shipping to its partners in Q1 2017.
About Pika Energy, Inc.
Pika Energy, Inc. is a manufacturer of direct current (DC) power electronics. Headquartered in Westbrook, Maine, Pika Energy’s products include bi-directional, islanding inverters, battery charge controllers, DC solar optimizers, power converters, and certified small wind turbines. All Pika Energy products are powered by the REbus™ DC nanogrid. Pika Energy’s products provide grid-optional clean power that enables buildings to collect, store and self-consume energy from solar PV and wind sources.
About Sentinel Solar
Sentinel Solar is a leading Canadian owned and operated distribution and manufacturing company providing solar energy products and solutions for power generation and storage suitable for any grid tied and off-grid solar energy project throughout North America. The company has established itself as the benchmark in the Canadian solar industry with its dedication to product excellence and customer satisfaction. Over 20 years’ experience in Canada’s solar industry, delivering top-quality products and constant innovation is what makes Sentinel Solar the reliable choice as your system provider.
Headquartered in Concord, Ontario and an office in Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Sentinel Solar provides innovative solutions at competitive prices for roof, ground and architectural solar installations.
Comments