Engineering News — December 08, 2017

W

ith its battery anti-theft solution

successfully protecting more

than 15 000 lead acid batteries

in South Africa, battery and related-

components supplier Aztec is seeing an

increase in demand for premium-quality

batteries with a longer operating life.

“In the past, many operators decided

to install low-quality batteries instead of

premium batteries, as the full operational

life of the batteries was seldom achieved

before they were stolen. However, with

Aztec’s anti-theft solution – introduced in

2015 – it now makes sense from a financial

and technical perspective to reinstall

premium-quality batteries,” says Aztec

electrical engineer Dean Marcus.

Subsequently, there has been an increase

in sales of thin plate pure lead and lead

carbon batteries for applications such

as cellular base towers and data centres.

Aztec has also noted a rise in demand for

premium lithium batteries in a variety of

forms, including rack-mounted modules

and wall- and tower-mounted smart

lithium power solutions that comprise

batteries and integrated rectifiers.

“Battery demand is also being driven

by the increased focus on cleaner energy

generation. Multiple battery chemistries,

including lead acid and lithium, are, thus,

set on a strong growth path, as they are in

a multitude of different applications from

cellular base stations to mission-critical

uninterrupted power supplies (UPSs).”

Lithium versus Lead Acid

While lithium batteries are certainly

gaining popularity globally, Marcus

highlights that lead acid batteries remain

strong in the market and, with continual

technical advancement, they are still

ideally suited to many applications. “There

is no one battery which is perfect for all

applications. Batteries form a critical

part of many standby power systems and

should, therefore, be specified and supplied

by battery specialists who can advise

customers about the best option.. .”

Marcus highlights that lead acid

batteries are still advancing, with battery

monitoring systems playing a central

role in their improvement. He notes that

US-based NorthStar Battery Company

is leading the way in this regard with its

NorthStar Advanced Connected Energy

(ACE) solution. This fully integrated

battery monitoring solution combines

Bluetooth communication with an Internet

of Things concept, with a Bluetooth-

enabled monitoring device located inside

the actual battery, negating the need for

any external sensors.

24 ENGINEERING NEWS | December 8–14, 2017 AN

Electric vehicle

growth puts

pressure on nickel

supply Page 26

GENERATORS &

STANDBY POWER

Compiled by ROBYN WILKINSON

Tel: +2711 574 0900

Mobile :+2784 515 4899

E-mail: [email protected]

©Creamer Media 081217CG http://www.hatz.co.za

Hall 6

Stand D 31

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Quality reprioritised in

local battery market

POSITIVE RESPONSE

NorthStar ACE was launched in South Africa

this year and Aztec has seen a positive local

market response to its advanced capabilities

ROBYN WILKINSON | CREAMER MEDIA STAFF WRITER