Since starting production early last year of its high-capacity, modular energy storage solution, the megaTower, South Africa’s largest and oldest lithium battery manufacturer Freedom Won has needed to accelerate production to meet new demand in 2025.

To date, the company has supplied the solution to multiple local projects in excess of 30 MWh and will install a noteworthy project in Antarctica in the coming months. The impact of the global trade tariff war has also opened “many exciting new offshore opportunities”, shares Freedom Won.

Research and development manager Ciaran Thandroyen explains that demand for the megaTower is highest in regions with poor grid reliability or strong solar penetration.

As the company’s most innovative product, the megaTower was developed in response to the need for scalable, fast-to-deploy, high-density, locally supported energy storage.

“With increasing demand for reliable back-up power, tariff optimisation and grid independence, we wanted a system that combined performance with practicality – delivering long-term value while supporting a cleaner energy future.”

Engineered for commercial and industrial use, the solution is in high demand in the retail, mining, logistics and agriculture (processing and irrigation) sectors, as well as for commercial property and real estate, and utility applications.

Key factors influencing demand for the megaTower include the need for larger battery energy storage solutions, the growth of the independent power producer and energy wheeling sectors, in conjunction with rising electricity costs and time-of-use tariffs. This is in addition to grid instability and demand for uptime, environmental targets and decarbonisation mandates, as well as the need to reduce downtime, owing to the modular system allowing repairs while in operation.

The product development phase included prototyping and modular testing, structural and thermal testing, and integration with the Freedom Won Energy Management System (EMS) and third-party inverters.  Extensive field trials were also conducted with engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractors and in real project environments.

“The megaTower stands out for its industry-leading energy density per square metre, true modularity for capacity and ease of maintenance. Its flexible deployment means the solution can be installed indoors or in containerised systems, the largest of which is our 5.9MWh ‘Ultimate Container’. These systems are most commonly integrated with solar PV and managed by the Freedom Won EMS. Shorter lead times are also possible owing to the megaTower being locally manufactured. Easy integration with top-tier inverter brands and EMS platforms has also  bolstered international interest in the system.

“Unlike many imported alternatives, the megaTower is built robustly and supported by experienced local engineering and support teams,” highlights Thandroyen.

Consequently, Freedom Won receives strong support from EPC contractors, project developers and distributors across South Africa and further afield.

The solution is exported to Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Kenya, Australia, Mauritius and New Zealand, in addition to Antarctica.

The megaTower is manufactured at Freedom Won’s 48 000 m2 factory in Johannesburg, Gauteng. The facility has a monthly manufacturing capacity of 250 MWh and includes precision fabrication stations for steel frames and enclosures, semi-automated assembly lines for modules, in-house battery management system (BMS) testing and calibration bays, as well as quality assurance testing.

“Our experienced local engineering team constantly conducts research and development to enhance the megaTower. This factory is a hub of local ingenuity, run by South African engineers and technicians trained to uphold global standards,” advances Thandroyen, adding that the manufacturing process ensures consistency, safety and quality from module to multi-megawatt deployments.

The local content of the megaTower includes the cabinet frames, wiring looms, control boards together with the complete electrical and mechanical design. System integration, testing and software development (the EMS and BMS layers) are also done in-house.

The only globally sourced components are the lithium-ion cells, and third-party BMS units, such as Orion, which is manufactured in the US.

“We maintain supplier diversification and evaluate local alternatives as the ecosystem matures,” highlights Thandroyen.