EVLO Energy Storage Inc. has unveiled its latest offering, the configurable battery energy storage system (BESS) EVLOFLEX.

The EVLOFLEX BESS can be configured with a density of 1.65, two or 2.5 megawatt-hours – which translates to between 500 kilowatts and 1,500 kilowatts. The EVLOFLEX BESS system can be utilized anywhere that energy storage is required.

The lithium-iron-phosphate battery chemistry EVLOFLEX is able to run approximately 7,300 cycles over 20 years without the need for battery replacements.

“What is really different about the EVLOFLEX is the safety attributes, and you can see it from its distinctive venting system on the roof. So that's inspired from our patent-pending venting system we have installed and developed on the EVLO 1000, the previous generation,” Martin Rheault, EVLO’s vice-president of business development and sales, told SustainableBiz.

“So we're really built on our experience (and) expertise about fire safety, to bring the safety of battery systems to another level. We're one of the only ones with a system of that nature.”

EVLO, a subsidiary of Hydro Quebec, was founded in 2020 and headquartered in Varennes, Que.

The EVLOFLEX

According to Rheault, the EVLOFLEX took about two and a half years from its inception to its introduction at the CLEANPOWER conference and exhibition in New Orleans.

Rheault mentioned its active ventilation that sets it apart, but also highlighted its focus on safety features activated by natural convection.

“The other attribute that is really cool about it is the passive attributes of it. So even if you're out of auxiliary power, for example, in a certain site, it's a failsafe system where the roof would open. And there's a roof trap as well. And just by the natural effects, the gas would go out and (it) basically meets the high performance as far as fire safety goes,” he explained.

“So that's a really an aspect that we put to the market that is not yet offered by our competitors.” 

Excluding the HVAC system, the enclosure is 20 by eight by 9.5 feet.

It allows for behind-the-metre or front-of-the-metre configuration.

Like the company’s previous products, the temperature range is from -40 to 55 C, meaning it's capable of being deployed in remote communities all year round.

The pricing depends on a number of factors, like configuration and location. There are several packages available to customers.

“That's something we kept by design in our program, because we know out there, there's a lot of black box systems and customers see great benefits and being able to adjust and add (to) the product closer to what they really need and what they are asking,” he said.

Like all of EVLO’s products, the EVLOFLEX is able to incorporate the company’s proprietary Internet-of-Things energy management system, EVLOGIX, which allows for automation and monitoring of much of the energy storage process.

EVLO’s future

By Rheault's admission, the EVLOFLEX is the first large-scale production for the company.

A significant driver for innovation in the BESS sector comes from the pressure to increase energy density on the same footprint of projects, something EVLO is already working on.

‘It's a pressure, yes, the market is pushing on us,” Rheault said. “But it's also a pressure we have integrated in our product development cycles where we're already working on the next generation product at this moment.”

EVLO’s goal is to reach the gigawatt-scale by 2026, and to be in multiple gigawatts by 2030. 

He also noted the company is paying close attention to any possible incentives and regulatory trends that will aid them in their scale-up.

“We're all tuned in to meet as much as possible the ITC (input tax credit) in Canada, and meet us as much as possible the IRA (Inflation Reduction Act) for U.S. projects we're targeting. So that's the other layer above any product, we're trying to design safe and perform,” Rheault said.

“We need to meet these other regulatory trends, because they will be crucial for any sales in the future. Having a Canadian company providing systems like that is a real delight for many. And we're glad to be on the forefront of these BESS suppliers in the Canadian market.”