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When software engineer Bain Viljoen began assembling his own Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries in 2019, little did he know how quickly the tiny operation in his garage would grow.
Like most South Africans in 2019, Viljoen found himself increasingly frustrated by Eskom’s rotational power cuts and wanted to free his household from the worries of load-shedding.
However, he also found the LiFePO4 batteries he wanted prohibitively expensive at the time, spurring him to import cells and assemble them himself in his 48m² garage.
Unbeknownst to anyone at the time, South Africa was about to enter a long, painful period of regular load-shedding, creating unprecedented demand for backup power systems.
So, out of frustration with the status quo, Lithium Batteries South Africa (LBSA) was born in a tiny garage in Johannesburg.
The first LBSA battery was uncomplicated and designed for regular households, businesses, and off-grid systems. Capacities ranged from a small 2.6kWh to 10.6kWh batteries.
“We went from assembling batteries in a garage with just a few loving family members helping out after work and on weekends, surrounded by wires, tools, cells, and way too many empty coffee cups,” said Viljoen.
“Now we have a fully operational factory of 7000m² with enough staff to produce not less than two hundred batteries per day.”
The company emphasises that its products are not merely assembled in South Africa but are designed and developed locally to withstand the region’s power surges and environmental conditions.
LBSA says this local focus enables a level of after-sales service and technical support that international competitors find difficult to replicate.
Viljoen said they were appreciative of their loyal solar resellers and installers, who were instrumental in LBSA’s rapid expansion.
The backbone of LBSA’s market presence has been its Low Voltage range, which was designed to serve as the primary energy storage solution for residential homes and small businesses.
Lithium Batteries South Africa goes industrial
In 2023, the company introduced a major design update to create a more compact, slim form factor, reflecting an increasing consumer focus on aesthetics.
This is because battery energy storage systems are frequently installed in prominent locations inside modern homes, and people want affordable units that perform well and look good.
“After all these years of hard work and continuous growth, we have been recognised by some of the most popular inverters in South Africa such as Growatt, Luxpower, Deye, Sunsynk, Victron, Solis, and SMA,” the company said.
“We conduct rigorous testing to prevent any problems that may arise. If a problem appears, we have a 24-hour line where we provide the original South African service and a quick turnaround time that customers crave.”
More recently, LBSA has launched an industrial-grade battery range. Launched in 2025, the Rhino IntelliFlex series represented a significant technological leap for the company.
“We have the only battery on the market that can connect directly to Variable Speed Drive and grid-tied systems,” LBSA chief operating officer Andries Loots told MyBroadband.
“This makes it a game changer in the agricultural and commercial industry, eliminating the cost of having to incorporate expensive hybrid inverters.”
LBSA also offers integration with Fireblock suppression to protect systems, property, and people against thermal runway and battery fires.
Fireblock was recently called in to help put out a LiFePO4 fire at Standard Bank’s Constantia office complex in Roodepoort, where conventional firefighting methods struggled to extinguish the blaze.