A Closer-Look at Huawei’s Attempt to End Loadshedding: Huawei iSitePower-M Lands in SA

There are no two ways about it: loadshedding has been an absolute bane for South Africans. On the plus-side, it has promoted some speedy innovation and introduction of new products from the private sector, with many brands and companies getting in on the ‘alternative power’ market.

Now, while using battery technology is still somewhat reliant on the charging capabilities of the grid, many know that it’s the first step to getting some infrastructure in your home or business in order to capitalise on the power of the sun: good ole solar energy.

Huawei is one of the companies that sees the opportunity with home energy solutions, and has launched a Tesla Power Wall alternative, of sorts, known as the Huawei iSitePower-M range.

The range itself is comprised of mountable battery packs, which are actually modular in design and can be stacked on top of each other to increase capacity. The primary top block features a simple and intuitive battery meter which can indicate the unit’s charge and capacity.

Another impressive element of the iSitePower Power products is that they’re all-inclusive, featuring an inverter, lithium-ION battery, as well as the capability of attaching solar panels right into them. This unit can be added to any residential or commercial property’s DV board, allowing you to essentially plug-and-play (of course, an official or certified electrician is required to do some of the installation process).

With the modular design, you can also start with the 5KW unit, for example, and upgrade as time goes on, simply slotting your existing battery into the new ones as you add them.

Due to the enclosed design, the entire unit has no loose or exposed wires and could be mounted in any room in the house, with no fear of children or pets being at risk of damaging the unit or vice versa. It’s also extremely quiet, so if it were mounted on the interior of the house, you can barely hear it.

Furthermore, it’s IP65 waterproof and dustproof, so it can be installed outside your house, if you prefer that.

Price

The base Huawei 5KW iSitepower unit is priced at around R53,000, the two-module unit for R133,000, and the 15KW three-module unit for R219,000, and is available from a variety of energy and hardware stores in South Africa.