Off-grid energy cubes provide 230VAC output power

The standalone energy cubes house an integrated battery and can be stacked and plugged together to automatically configure a private mini-grid. With a decentralised architecture and no central control, additional units can easily be added as power requirements increase.

The Power-Blox 200 system is self-learning and self-configuring, and regulates power production, storage and distribution within the grid intelligently and autonomously. It is infinitely scalable, requiring no configuration, engineering or maintenance, and different energy sources such as solar power and wind energy can be easily combined.

One Power-Blox 200 cube, with its 100Ah deep cycle solar battery and supplied by a 200W solar module, is designed to run a small fridge, a television, some LED lights, a mobile phone charger and a laptop computer.

Although designed for off-grid situations, the system can also be used as backup power to bridge power cuts where public grids are unreliable. Applications include the supply of mobile or temporary installations for aid organisations, rural electrification in remote areas and military installations.

Stäubli acquired a stake in the award-winning Power-Blox start-up in 2017, and the two companies have signed a strategic cooperation agreement.

"Combined with our market-leading photovoltaic connector systems, Power-Blox with its swarm technology will open up completely new applications for energy storage systems," said Selwyn Corns, Managing Director of Stäubli Electrical Connectors UK.