N° 29-11
Northern Lighthouse Board awards framework agreement to Saft for
maintenance-free Ni-MH batteries
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Four year framework agreement covers the supply of Saft NHE Ni-MH battery
modules for a programme to modernize and overhaul NLB offshore buoys and
lighthouses around Scotland and the Isle of Man
NHE modules provide the charging efficiency and cycling capability essential for
solar power systems combined with the zero-maintenance and long service life
required for remote installations
Paris, June 15, 2011 – Following a competitive tendering exercise the Northern Lighthouse
Board (NLB) has awarded Saft a 4-year framework agreement to supply state-of-the-art
rechargeable nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) battery modules for an ongoing programme of
modernization and overhaul of lighthouses and solar buoys around Scotland and the Isle of
Man.
The framework agreement covers the supply of Saft’s 12 V NHE Ni-MH battery modules, with
capacities ranging from 100 Ah to 3,000 Ah according to the specific application. They will be
installed by the NLB at a number of offshore buoys and lighthouses to provide energy storage
for solar power systems and as standby power at mains powered sites. A total of seven
batteries will be delivered in 2011, with the first installations at Barra Head lighthouse – the
southernmost of the Outer Hebrides and Pladda lighthouse – off the south east corner of Arran.
Ni-MH modules deliver reliable service for a minimum of 15 years
For NLB’s solar powered sites, the battery system is required to store sufficient energy from the
photovoltaic (PV) modules in the spring and autumn months to ensure reliable operation
throughout the winter. This calls for a battery with both low rate charging efficiency and high
cycling capability. Saft has engineered a battery solution for this application based on its NHE
Ni-MH battery modules. They provide excellent energy density combined with a high cycle life,
are fully recyclable at the end of their life and offer an extended service life of at least 15 years
that easily meets NLB’s requirement for life expectancy.
Sealed for life Ni-MH design reduces service visits
The NHE module is sealed for life, requiring no topping up with distilled water. This significantly
reduces the need for service visits to remote sites, saving on maintenance costs and reducing
potential disturbance to wildlife.
Lightweight Ni-MH modules are safer and easier to transport
Ni-MH batteries are lightweight, compact and non-spillable. This makes them much easier and
safer to transport to site by boat or helicopter than conventional batteries, and they also take up
less space within the buoy or lighthouse. NHE modules are around half the weight of a leadacid battery that would be used for this application. So the potential saving in weight can be
hundreds of kilogrammes.
About the Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB)
The Northern Lighthouse Board operates under statute - the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 - and
is the General Lighthouse Authority (GLA) for Scotland and the Isle of Man. The NLB currently
operates: 208 Lighthouses, 165 Buoys, 34 Beacons, 4 Differential Global Positioning System
Stations, 27 Racons and 1 eLoran Station (jointly with partner GLAs).
The Northern Lighthouse Board is funded entirely from the General Lighthouse Fund, sourced
by "Light Dues", a levy paid by shipping. The Board receives no direct funding from the
Exchequer or taxpayer. The other General Lighthouse Authorities are the Commissioners of
Irish Lights (Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland) and Trinity House (England, Wales, the
Channel Islands and Gibraltar).
For more information: www.nlb.org.uk
About Saft
Saft (Euronext: Saft) is a world specialist in the design and manufacture of high-tech batteries
for industry. Saft batteries are used in high performance applications, such as industrial
infrastructure and processes, transportation, space and defence. Saft is the world’s leading
manufacturer of nickel batteries for industrial applications and of primary lithium batteries for a
wide range of end markets. The group is also the European leader for specialised advanced
technologies for the defence and space industries and world leader in lithium-ion satellite
batteries. Saft is also delivering its lithium-ion technology to new applications in clean vehicles
and energy storage systems. With approximately 4,000 employees worldwide, Saft is present
in 19 countries. Its 15 manufacturing sites and extensive sales network enable the group to
serve its customers worldwide. Saft is listed in the SBF 120 index on the Paris Stock Market.
For more information, visit Saft at www.saftbatteries.com
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Press contact:
Jill Ledger, Saft Corporate Communications and Institutional Relations Director
Tel: +33 1 49 93 17 77, e-mail: jill.ledger@saftbatteries.com
Marie-Christine Guihéneuf, Saft IBG Communication Manager, Tel: + 33 1 49 93 17 16
e-mail: marie-christine.guiheneuf@saftbatteries.com
Andrew Bartlett, Six Degrees, Tel: + 44 (0) 1628 480280
e-mail: andrew.bartlett@sixdegreespr.com