Energy storage tech of LG, Samsung shines at Interbattery Europe

LG Energy Solution's exhibition at Interbattery Europe 2024 takes place from Wednesday to Friday in Munich, Germany. (LG Energy Solution)

LG Energy Solution and Samsung SDI, two of Korea's leading battery manufacturers, are showcasing their latest energy storage solutions at Interbattery Europe 2024 in Munich, Germany, from Wednesday to Friday this week.

The two firms are presenting a range of advanced products designed to meet the growing demand for energy storage systems in Europe and beyond due to the increasing reliance on renewable energy sources.

An energy storage system is a large-scale setup designed to store and manage significant amounts of electricity for grid stability, renewable energy integration and residential use, unlike regular batteries which store smaller amounts of energy for individual devices.

LG Energy Solution's enblock E is the first residential ESS offering to incorporate lithium iron phosphate cells. (LG Energy Solution)

Under the theme "Beyond Batteries," LG Energy Solution is showcasing several innovative products at Interbattery Europe 2024. A key highlight is the "enblock E," the first residential ESS to incorporate lithium iron phosphate, or LFP, cells known for their safety, thermal stability and long cycle life.

This modular system allows for easy capacity adjustments, enabling users to snap together up to five packs to reach a total capacity of 15.5 kilowatt-hours -- about enough to power an average US household for two days. Designed for versatility, the enblock E can be installed indoors and outdoors and boasts a quick installation time of less than 15 minutes.

LG Energy Solution is also presenting its new medium and large-scale ESS products tailored for power grids, including power plants and transmission networks. Notably, the company is launching its New Modularized Solutions, featuring high-capacity LFP long cell JF2 cells. These modular, container-type products can be configured to meet varying capacity requirements and are delivered fully assembled, decreasing setup time.

Another key product on display is LG Energy Solution's Uninterruptible Power Supply system, which uses lithium-ion batteries to provide reliable emergency power for critical facilities such as data centers and telecommunication hubs.

Samsung SDI's upgraded Samsung Battery Box 1.5, a scalable energy storage solution designed for home or business applications (Samsung SDI)

Samsung SDI’s highlight at the Interbattery Europe 2024 is its upgraded Samsung Battery Box 1.5. This state-of-the-art ESS product uses high-nickel, nickel-cobalt-aluminum battery cells whose high energy density makes them ideal for large-scale energy storage.

The upgraded SBB 1.5 model features a capacity of 5.26 megawatt-hours, up from 3.84 megawatt-hours in the original, achieved through a 37 percent increase in energy density and improved internal space efficiency.

Safety is a key focus for Samsung SDI. The new SBB incorporates what it calls module-embedded direct injection technology, which injects cooling fluid directly into the battery modules. This improves heat dissipation and significantly reduces fire risks by preventing thermal runaway -- a critical safety feature for large battery systems.

Looking forward, Samsung SDI plans to expand its ESS offerings by introducing lithium iron phosphate batteries in 2026.

"By offering both NCA and LFP batteries, Samsung SDI aims to cater to a wider range of customer needs," a Samsung SDI official said.

By Moon Joon-hyun(mjh@heraldcorp.com)