Commercial & Industrial Solar Storage Systems
Three factory-configured systems, each built around a four-port hybrid inverter and a 314 Ah LFP battery cabinet. Pick by load shape, not by headline capacity.
C&I Systems · 50 kW to 125 kW
Most commercial storage enquiries arrive as a capacity in kWh, and most of them are the wrong capacity. A 100 kWh battery on a site with a 40 kW night load is oversized; a 261 kWh battery on a site whose problem is a ninety-second motor start is the wrong tool entirely. The three systems on this page exist because industrial load shapes cluster into three recognisable groups, and each group has a configuration that fits it without custom engineering.
All three share the same architecture: one hybrid inverter with four ports — PV, battery, grid and generator — feeding a single AC bus, with a meter at the point of common coupling enforcing the export limit. Nothing is bolted together from separate inverters, and there is no external transfer switch between PV and storage. The difference between the systems is the ratio of power to energy, and that ratio is what decides whether a system shaves a peak, carries a night, or starts a motor.
The battery platform is common across the range and it is our own build: 64 V / 314 Ah LiFePO4 clusters at 20.1 kWh each, 6,000–8,000 cycles to 80% state of health, IP55 enclosure with C3 anti-corrosion coating, aerosol fire suppression at pack level, and GB/T 36276-2023 as the governing standard. One cluster is 64 × 314 = 20,096 Wh, so five clusters is roughly 100 kWh, twelve is 241 kWh and thirteen is 261 kWh. The arrays are built from 710 W modules, which means kWp ÷ 0.71 gives the panel count: 70 panels for 50 kWp, 280 for 200 kWp, 350 for 250 kWp. The inverters are third-party — Growatt at 50 kW, GoodWe ET series at 100 kW, and Solis or Growatt at 125 kW — configured and commissioned by us; their efficiency, dimensions and weight are supplied on request rather than estimated on a page.
Which system fits which load
Choose 50 kW / 100 kWh when
Daytime load sits between 35 and 70 kW with peaks to about 110 kW, the evening peak lasts two hours or less, and the PV roof is between 50 and 100 kWp. This is the entry tier: a workshop, a cold store, a small factory, a farm with a 100 kVA diesel set.
Choose 100 kW / 241 kWh when
The plant runs two or three shifts with a flat 70–140 kW load, the night base load is real, and there is room for 100–200 kWp of PV. This is the volume tier, and the one that most food, plastics and packaging plants end up buying.
Choose 125 kW / 261 kWh when
The binding constraint is power: motors that need starting current, a demand peak above 100 kW, or DC fast chargers to buffer. Energy is only marginally larger than the 100 kW system — the premium buys 25% more discharge, not more hours.
Configuration comparison
Every figure below is nominal capacity as ordered, except usable energy, which is calculated at 90% depth of discharge. Inverter and battery specifications beyond these values are available on request.
| Configuration | Inverter | Battery | Usable @ 90% DoD | PV window | Battery EXW |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 kW + 100 kWh | 50 kW hybrid, four-port | 100 kWh LFP, 314 Ah | 90 / 108 kWh | 50–100 kWp | USD 11,000–18,000 |
| 100 kW + 241 kWh | 100 kW hybrid, four-port | 241 kWh LFP, 314 Ah | 217 kWh | 100–200 kWp | USD 26,510–36,150 |
| 125 kW + 261 kWh | 125 kW hybrid, four-port | 261 kWh LFP, 314 Ah | 235 kWh | 125–250 kWp | USD 28,710–39,150 |
Inverter datasheets (Growatt, GoodWe, Solis) are supplied on request — we do not publish a third-party efficiency or weight we have not seen. Prices are indicative EXW for the battery frame only, at USD 110–150/kWh nominal. Inverters, switchgear, transformers and PV arrays are quoted separately. Final price depends on configuration.
Where the numbers come from
- One battery cluster: 64 V × 314 Ah = 20,096 Wh = 20.1 kWh
- 50 kW / 100 kWh system: 5 clusters = 100.5 kWh; 120 kWh option = 6 clusters = 120.6 kWh
- 100 kW / 241 kWh system: 12 clusters = 241.2 kWh
- 125 kW / 261 kWh system: 13 clusters = 261.3 kWh
- PV panel count at 710 W: kWp ÷ 0.71 — 50 kWp = 70 panels, 100 kWp = 140, 200 kWp = 280, 250 kWp = 350
- Usable energy: cluster total × 0.90 depth of discharge (100 kWh → 90 kWh, 241 kWh → 217 kWh, 261 kWh → 235 kWh)
The common topology
All three systems use one power conversion unit with four ports. PV enters on the MPPT inputs through a DC combiner with per-string protection and a Type 2 surge arrester. The battery connects on the DC bus and talks to the inverter over CAN. The grid connects through the main breaker and the point-of-common-coupling meter. The generator connects through its own contactor and ATS. Loads sit either on the whole-site bus or on an essential-loads board, and that choice — not the battery size — usually determines how long the site survives an outage.
Grid-tied, the inverter holds the site's net import at a setpoint read from the PCC meter. If the connection is approved for export, the setpoint is the approved limit. If it is a zero-export connection, the setpoint is a small positive import and any surplus that cannot be stored is curtailed at the array rather than pushed upstream. Peak shaving and demand capping are the same control loop with a different target: discharge when projected interval demand approaches the cap, recharge in the cheap window or from the next morning's array.
Off-grid, the inverter opens the grid contactor and forms its own voltage and frequency reference. Transfer is break-and-make, so motor loads see a short interruption and restart; anything that must ride through needs its own UPS. The generator port stays live inside the island, so a long outage escalates from battery to genset automatically on a low-SOC threshold, and de-escalates when PV can carry the site again.
Single-line flow, all three systems
PV array → DC combiner + isolator + Type 2 SPD → hybrid inverter [PV | battery | grid | genset] → AC distribution / essential-loads board → PCC meter → utility
Battery cabinet connects on the inverter DC bus over CAN. Generator connects through its own contactor and ATS on the generator port. Export limit is enforced at the PCC meter, not at the inverter.
Generation at the design point
Generation is calculated from global horizontal irradiation with a performance ratio of 0.80, which accounts for temperature derating, conversion losses, cabling and soiling between cleans. The design point for each system is the middle of its PV window: 80 kWp, 160 kWp and 200 kWp. Those are the array sizes most sites actually fit, not the maximum the inverter will accept.
| System (design PV) | Market | Daily | Annual (year 1) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 kW / 100 kWh80 kWp | South Africa5.5 kWh/m²/day | 352 kWh/day | 128,480 kWh/yr |
| 50 kW / 100 kWh80 kWp | Nigeria5.0 kWh/m²/day | 320 kWh/day | 116,800 kWh/yr |
| 50 kW / 100 kWh80 kWp | Philippines4.5 kWh/m²/day | 288 kWh/day | 105,120 kWh/yr |
| 100 kW / 241 kWh160 kWp | South Africa5.5 kWh/m²/day | 704 kWh/day | 256,960 kWh/yr |
| 100 kW / 241 kWh160 kWp | Nigeria5.0 kWh/m²/day | 640 kWh/day | 233,600 kWh/yr |
| 100 kW / 241 kWh160 kWp | Philippines4.5 kWh/m²/day | 576 kWh/day | 210,240 kWh/yr |
| 125 kW / 261 kWh200 kWp | South Africa5.5 kWh/m²/day | 880 kWh/day | 321,200 kWh/yr |
| 125 kW / 261 kWh200 kWp | Nigeria5.0 kWh/m²/day | 800 kWh/day | 292,000 kWh/yr |
| 125 kW / 261 kWh200 kWp | Philippines4.5 kWh/m²/day | 720 kWh/day | 262,800 kWh/yr |
First-year figures before module degradation of 0.5–0.7% a year. Actual yield depends on tilt, azimuth, shading and cleaning frequency more than on module brand.
Arbitrage and demand savings, as formulas
We do not publish tariff numbers, because the tariff is yours and it changes. What we publish is the arithmetic, so you can put your own spread into it. Arbitrage value is usable energy times the peak-to-off-peak spread times the number of cycles the site runs. Demand-charge saving is the kW you avoid times the demand charge times twelve. Diesel displacement is litres avoided times the landed diesel price. The three are additive but they compete for the same battery energy, so model them together rather than in isolation.
Formula — based on local tariff
Annual arbitrage value = C_usable (kWh) × Δtariff (USD/kWh) × N_cycles per year
- 50 kW / 100 kWh — per 5 cents of spread
- USD 4.50 per cycle · USD 1,485/yr at 330 cycles
- 100 kW / 241 kWh — per 5 cents of spread
- USD 10.85 per cycle · USD 3,579/yr at 330 cycles
- 125 kW / 261 kWh — per 5 cents of spread
- USD 11.75 per cycle · USD 3,876/yr at 330 cycles
- Demand-charge saving
- ΔkW × demand charge (USD/kW/month) × 12
- Diesel displacement
- litres avoided × landed diesel price per litre
- Δtariff is your peak minus off-peak price, based on local tariff. All rows scale linearly with it.
- Round-trip efficiency of 0.85–0.90 means charging draws 10–15% more energy than discharge delivers.
- 330 cycles a year assumes one cycle per working day plus weekend partials; a demand-only strategy often runs 250.
What these systems are bought to fix
Factory peak shaving
Holding the site under its contracted capacity through the morning ramp and the shift change, instead of tripping the main breaker mid-batch. The value is avoided capacity charges plus continuity.
Demand control
Turning a monthly maximum-demand charge from an outcome into a target. The inverter watches the PCC meter and discharges when the projected billing-interval demand crosses the setpoint.
Diesel displacement
Replacing running hours on a 100–500 kVA set with PV and stored energy, and keeping the set at efficient load when it does run instead of idling at 20% for six hours.
Off-grid microgrid
Forming a grid for a mine, farm, quarry or remote factory where the utility is absent or unreliable, with the genset demoted from primary source to backup.
EV charging support
Buffering AC or DC chargers so the grid sees a smooth profile instead of a spike, avoiding a supply upgrade that costs more than the storage.
Certification and grid compliance
The battery platform carries the same three certificates across the range. Grid connection is approved in the destination country, against that country’s code, and the approved export limit is what the inverter is finally set to.
IEC 62619
Cell and system safety: overcharge, over-discharge, external short circuit, thermal abuse, drop. The document insurers and EPCs ask for first.
UN38.3
Class 9 dangerous-goods qualification for sea and air freight, shipped with test summary and MSDS for every consignment.
GB/T 36276-2023
Chinese national standard for stationary lithium storage — electrical performance, cycle life, safety and the test methods behind the cycle rating.
Grid-code compliance per destination: NRS 097-2-1 and utility approval in South Africa; NERC licensing and distribution grid code in Nigeria; ERC approval and the Philippine Distribution Code in the Philippines.
Indicative EXW pricing
Battery pricing is calculated at USD 110–150/kWh on nominal capacity. The inverter is quoted separately, and so is everything between the inverter and the site: switchgear, metering, ATS, transformer and array. This is deliberate — a single installed price for three different sites would be fiction.
| Item | Specification | Indicative range |
|---|---|---|
| 50 kW / 100 kWh | 100 kWh LFP cabinet, 314 Ah, IP55, aerosol | USD 11,000 – 15,000 |
| 50 kW / 120 kWh | 120 kWh LFP cabinet, same platform | USD 13,200 – 18,000 |
| 100 kW / 241 kWh | 241 kWh LFP frame, 314 Ah, IP55, aerosol | USD 26,510 – 36,150 |
| 125 kW / 261 kWh | 261 kWh LFP frame, 314 Ah, IP55, aerosol | USD 28,710 – 39,150 |
| Hybrid inverter | 50 / 100 / 125 kW, four-port | Quoted separately |
| Switchgear, transformer, array | Breaker, isolator, SPD, ATS, MV transformer, PV | Quoted separately |
Indicative EXW, final price depends on configuration. Excludes freight, insurance, duties and installation. Class 9 dangerous-goods freight is a real line item on the two larger frames.
Indicative EXW — final price depends on configuration.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a 100kWh battery storage system cost?
A 100 kWh LFP cabinet is USD 11,000–15,000 EXW at USD 110–150/kWh nominal. The 120 kWh version is USD 13,200–18,000. Those figures cover the cabinet with BMS, IP55 enclosure and aerosol suppression only — the hybrid inverter, switchgear, PV array and installation are quoted separately because they depend on the site.
Can a hybrid inverter work with a diesel generator?
Yes. All three systems have a dedicated generator port: the inverter synchronises to the set, keeps it at efficient load, blocks reverse power into the alternator, and charges the battery from surplus genset output. It can also start and stop the generator on a dry contact when SOC falls or the grid fails. Size the generator against the site base load, not the inverter rating.
How do I choose between the three systems?
By load shape, not by kWh. If the evening peak is under two hours and the load is 35–70 kW, take 50 kW / 100 kWh. If the plant runs flat at 70–140 kW across two or three shifts, take 100 kW / 241 kWh. If the constraint is starting current, a demand peak above 100 kW, or DC fast charging, take 125 kW / 261 kWh — the extra 25% of discharge is the whole point of that model.
Do these systems export to the grid?
They can, up to whatever the utility approves, but the default configuration is zero-export because most industrial connections in South Africa, Nigeria and the Philippines are not approved for reverse flow. The PCC meter enforces the setpoint; if the meter signal fails, the inverter stops exporting rather than running open-loop.
What is included in the EXW price?
The battery frame with BMS, enclosure, aerosol suppression and the test documentation. Not included: the hybrid inverter, switchgear, metering, ATS, transformer, PV modules and structure, freight, insurance, duty and installation. All of those are quoted separately so that the quotation reflects your site rather than an average one.
Related products and markets
GC100/120 battery cabinet
The 100/120 kWh cabinet used in the entry system, with its full specification.
Home solar kits
Prefitted residential kits — the domestic complement to the C&I range.
Residential ESS
Home and small-shop storage below the C&I range.
C&I storage topic hub
Sizing method, tariff structures and cycle-life economics.
South Africa
Load shedding, NRS 097-2-1 and port logistics.
Nigeria
Diesel economics and NERC licensing.
Philippines
ERC approval and island-grid logistics.
Send a load profile, get a configuration
One month of half-hourly meter data is enough to size any of these three systems. If you do not have it, tell us the peak kW, the night base load and the diesel litres per month, and we will work from that — including an honest note on whether the system you asked about is the right one.
- Delivery:
- EXW, freight and duty quoted per destination
- Email:
- dlxn@dlxnsolar.com
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