Polar Power, Inc. announced a contract award from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (?UNHCR?) to provide a nano grid for one of its offices in Africa. The pilot project is designed to demonstrate the reliability, durability, and low operating costs of Polar Power?s nano grid technology to provide uninterrupted, quality electric power in bad-grid locations throughout the world. It is anticipated that Polar?s efficient power technology will enable as much as a 70% reduction in diesel fuel consumption, lower operating and maintenance costs, and simultaneously reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

UNHCR operates in over 130 countries, worldwide. Polar Power?s compact, lightweight, mobile nano grid systems will first use energy from the solar PV array (when available), secondly from the electric grid when additional energy is needed, and when the grid is down Polar?s DC generator provides the additional energy required. The battery collects the energy from the solar, grid, and DC generator, and through the inverter powers the AC loads.

This is also referred to as an online uninterrupted power source (UPS); the difference between Polar Power and other systems is its DC generator. The AC backup generator is not typically referred to as a UPS as there is a power interruption as the generator comes online. The AC generator runs continuously during the power outage consuming fuel even when electrical loads are at their minimum.

The Polar nano grid is engineered for fuel efficiency by turning off the DC generator during light loads and using smaller generators allowing the battery and inverter to supply the peak loads (load leveling). Allowing the generator to operate at peak efficiency saving fuel while reducing the DC generator?s run time also reducing the maintenance cost. AC backup generators are sized to meet the peak load demand plus an additional margin to prevent the circuit breakers from tripping.

The DC generator in the nano grid is sized to deliver the kilowatt hour usage over a 24-hour period and the inverter with the battery supplies the peak load demand. In bad-grids, AC generators are running longer than they are designed for creating significant additional costs from equipment breakdowns and lower fuel efficiencies. Polar Power expects to deliver this mobile nano grid solution to UNHCR in the second quarter of 2024.