Last year, during the peak summer period, Sichuan power restrictions continued for many days on the hot search. In the civilian power supply shortage situation, many manufacturing manufacturers in Sichuan shut down production and stop work to let the power to the people, the province even started the first energy supply "a level of emergency response".
The highest temperature ever, the least amount of rainfall, the largest electricity load - "three most" encounter for the hydropower province has brought incalculable losses. This black swan event, but also for China's other provinces and cities to bring the energy supply warning. From the manufacturing industry alone, automation, intelligent production trends are destined to be inseparable from the efficient and stable power supply.
In February of this year, during the two sessions of Chengdu City, Chengdu City CPPCC member, the Three Gorges Group Sichuan Energy Investment Party Secretary / Chairman Yao Yingping proposed a "power supply" and "installed charging treasure" double solution - - that is, increase the power load supply, "charging treasure" double solution - - that is, increase the power load supply, "charging treasure" double solution. -That is to say, increase the supply of power loads and install energy storage.
However, Yao also realized that increasing power load supply is not a long-term solution, and the implementation of the background of carbon neutrality and peak carbon is a deviation, and after the carbon peak in 2030, it will be inappropriate to develop on a large scale.
And the "rechargeable treasure" approach is very consistent with the general direction of green and low-carbon development - to increase the proportion of new energy, and at the same time do a good job of energy storage support, in order to cope with emergencies.
Energy storage
Throughout the response to the energy crisis at home and abroad, we will find that the "new energy + energy storage" has gradually become a high-quality solution to energy security.
Lithium-ion energy storage market status is good
In fact, we are now talking about the "energy storage" wind mouth, more pointed to the "new energy storage", rather than pumped storage such as traditional energy storage. The new energy storage technology mainly includes electrochemical energy storage, compressed air energy storage, flywheel energy storage, etc., which, electrochemical energy storage in the lithium-ion energy storage technology directly occupies a large proportion.
New energy storage
CPIA data show that in 2022, the global and domestic new energy storage installed capacity will be about 32GW and 7GW respectively, which is a record high. With the implementation of policies, cost reductions and technological improvements, it is expected that in 2025, the global and China's new annual installed capacity of new energy storage is expected to reach 75GW, 21GW.
Lithium storage (full name lithium-ion battery energy storage) is the absolute main force of the new energy storage, 2022, lithium energy storage technology in the new energy storage new installed market share of nearly 90%.
Why is lithium-ion energy storage currently the most adaptable type of energy storage product development? This is attributed to the lithium-ion battery's high energy density, high overall efficiency, fast response time, long service life, and low ecological and environmental impact. ......
Comprehensive above advantages, lithium in the field of new energy vehicles, wind energy storage, communication energy storage, household energy storage and other fields continue to rise, and ushered in a window of growth. Data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology shows that in 2022, China's new energy vehicle power battery installed capacity of about 295GWh, lithium energy storage cumulative installed growth rate of more than 130%.
The importance of safe connection for energy storage
Under the background of rapid development of lithium-ion energy storage industry, the safety issue has become one of the pain points of its large-scale development, and the ultimate manifestation of this safety hazard is fire.
Energy storage box has made statistics on the safety accidents of energy storage power station, from 2012 to 2022 this 10 years, the global total of 54 energy storage power station fire and explosion accidents (China 7). If you count the household energy storage safety accidents abroad, far more than that.
This may be related to the lithium storage battery itself system defects, such as short circuit, thermal management failure; may also be related to the lithium storage battery external management system, connection system, such as storage battery used to the connector temperature rise will have a certain impact on the battery.
Energy storage battery pack in the charge and discharge, the transmission of high current will make the connector thermal effect, once the temperature of the connector rises above the temperature of the battery, it will be transmitted to the battery side, thus affecting the stability of the battery and the electrochemical capacity. When the internal temperature of the battery continues to rise and exceeds the ignition point of the electrolyte, it will cause the battery to explode. Since the battery pack is in series/parallel, the safety of the connectors will ultimately affect the entire energy storage system.
"Most of the energy storage is in the state of charging and discharging, and the current is large, which has certain requirements on the connector's over-current capability, over-voltage capability, and high-temperature control capability of the application environment." Da Yongheng, general manager of Jingyida, mentioned.
In order to effectively respond to the high temperature sensitivity of lithium batteries, domestic connector manufacturers have started on the connector temperature rise control performance.
In the energy storage connector temperature rise control, Ricorda experienced, its new energy division marketing department sales vice president Qin Liangfeng said, the connector temperature rise control is mainly concentrated in the contact terminal material selection and terminal structure design, "terminal contact area and structure design on the connector temperature rise control has an impact."
Leaka energy storage connector
In addition, the temperature rise of the connector is mainly related to the resistance. Resistance of the full inspection out of the goods is a necessary measure, we mainly in the manufacturing side and inspection side of the two aspects of control; and to continue to do a good job of defective rate of the problem feedback, in order to improve the manufacturing side of the process."
The main factors affecting the resistance of the energy storage connector are the material of the contact parts, plating, surface film, as well as the positive pressure, current and voltage after the connection will also have a certain impact on the resistance.
Leaka electronic energy storage connector
In solving the temperature rise problem of energy storage connectors, connector products as far as possible to use low resistance, high conductivity metal material; at the same time, the product design process as far as possible to be equipped with heat dissipation program. At present, Lextar mainly uses brass, phosphorus copper and beryllium copper in the manufacturing of energy storage connectors.
Leaka energy storage connectors
Is the market space for energy storage connectors sizable?
The market situation of energy storage industry also reflects the market opportunity of energy storage connectors.
The company's revenue of energy storage products has been rising for several years. It is reported that the lead photoelectric energy storage connector products are mainly oriented to household energy storage and commercial energy storage, customers include Gu Rui Watt, the times of nebula, power God battery, AVIC lithium-ion and other new energy manufacturers.
On the emerging portable energy storage terminal, energy storage connector manufacturers are also more optimistic.
With the popularization of new energy vehicles and people's outdoor activities travel demand, applied to the outdoor end of the energy storage device market will gradually active. Portable energy storage below the kilowatt level will generally use fast connectors, such as USB, triangular plug, XT60, etc., to meet the needs of rapid insertion and removal. This type of connector products have been more mature, lower threshold.
In the future, Leaka portable energy storage have layout.
Energy storage connector market competition and technical difficulties
In the annual summary of International Cable & Connection 2022, we have mentioned that as of the end of 2022, energy storage connector manufacturers have exceeded one hundred, and the market competition is relatively fierce.
In February this year, the National Standardization Administration, the National Energy Board issued a "new energy storage standards system construction guidelines" notice, a total of 205 new energy storage standards. With the steady development of China's new energy industry, standardize and unify the construction of new energy storage standard system is crucial.
Naturally, the relevant energy storage connector standards also need to be constantly improved, otherwise the market competition will direct the technology to the uneven situation. Da Yongheng said, China's industrial energy storage interface standards need to be improved. The unification of standards helps connector manufacturers to compete in a reasonable and orderly manner.
In addition to the national level efforts, connector manufacturers how to deal with the energy storage connector market competition?
Based on the centralized power station and home energy storage two terminal areas, Ricorda still follow the "quality leadership, technological innovation, cost-effective" research and development concept, new energy business unit marketing department, vice president of sales Qin Liangfeng, to create a high-quality, high-end connector brand, energy storage end customers to provide efficient product solutions is Ricorda to maintain the competitiveness of the principle to follow. The principle to follow.
Zhou Zhenfang also shared with the reporter to the experience of Leader Optoelectronics - to strengthen cooperation with customers, through the design of solutions to reduce costs and improve the process; enhance product automation, reduce labor costs. "Previously, some customers use butt-plug connection technology, after we work together to modify it to lock bolt type design, the cost is much lower."
In addition to ensuring quality and reducing costs, overcoming technical difficulties will also help domestic energy storage connector manufacturers respond effectively to competition.
Domestic energy storage connector manufacturers need to overcome the technical difficulties in the future is still mainly in the material end, "if you can get better plastic and metal materials, the design can be further cost savings." At present, Leaka energy storage connectors are mainly used in containerized large-scale energy storage and foreign household energy storage can be two major blocks of terminal.
2022 is known as the first year of the outbreak of the energy storage market, and 2023 will also continue the momentum of energy storage development, and continue to enter the stage of market climb. Compared with the automotive connector, the threshold of the energy storage connector has been reduced, in this wind, connector manufacturers have found the right time to cut into it. However, the back of the market opportunity, is the fierce competition and product safety. How to better connect to the new energy track, the connector industry needs to overcome a lot of difficulties.
