ROUND TABLE
LOWERING THE IMPACT Li-ion batteries like Hawk-Woods’ BP-98X open up more sustainable power options for filmmakers and their production crews
JD: Battery storage is essential for extending the life of your equipment, but another great method is hot-swapping. By swapping over batteries while in use, you can maintain their performance and avoid placing unnecessary strain on individual cells. LM: Look for battery generators with a long working lifetime to ensure return on investment. Are the cells stable – like lithium iron phosphate or NMC? These chemistries offer upwards of 4000 cycles, which can provide ten to 15 years of use. Also, be sure to check whether the battery includes an inverter. Inverters allow for different charging methods to be employed, like solar or EV, which reduces the running costs and speeds up charging. They also help manage input and output power to prevent overheating and extend battery life. Always invest in certified batteries with a good IP rating from a reputable manufacturer. Cheaper products aimed at the leisure market typically don’t stand up to the demands of production. Finally, test and understand the power output of your equipment. That way you can be confident in what your battery system can support on-set – and avoid any range anxiety. KT: Using safe, secure, proven and reliable batteries will optimise your investment in the long term. With such a wide variety of batteries on the market
these days, it’s important to research the one you’re purchasing. Has it been manufactured ethically, has it passed the required safety certifications and are the power requirements suitable for your chosen equipment? Once you’ve invested in your battery kit, the important thing is to know how to properly store them. Batteries shouldn’t be left on equipment for extended periods of time if not in use (whether you’re charging or discharging). If being stored for a longer period of time without use, they should be left at approximately 50% charge, to slow the discharge rate. IDX batteries have technology installed to slow the natural discharge rate down, however this can never be stopped entirely with Li-ion batteries. We include storage guidance on our website – as well as in the manuals – for every battery we produce, to make sure customers are getting the most out of their investment. DEF: LOOKING AHEAD, DO YOU SEE ANY MAJOR DISRUPTORS – WHETHER REGULATORY, TECHNOLOGICAL, MARKET- DRIVEN OR ANYTHING ELSE – THAT MIGHT SIGNIFICANTLY ALTER THE BATTERY LANDSCAPE FOR FILMMAKERS? JD: Lithium-ion batteries are increasingly under scrutiny, with real concerns about environmental impact, insurance and shipping regulations. These factors
could have a significant influence on the battery landscape in the near future. KT: This is not limited to our industry, but the impact of stricter regulations is inevitable. At IDX, we comply with different regulations in each region, and battery regulations in Europe are moving in the direction of becoming ever stricter. With increases in battery size and capacity, the biggest challenge will be navigating the current shipping restrictions and ensuring we can find a practical, dependable method to ship these goods. Whatever the future holds, we’ll continue to work hard to comply with regulations in each region and deliver the same level of safety and security to our customers as we have done in the past. LM: Hopefully, government assistance with the transition from fossil fuel to battery generators. The switch would be smoother and quicker if companies could be supported – potentially through tax incentives or grants. It would benefit everyone, including the government, to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and move towards clean battery power. Battery technology is already there – we have secure, powerful, flight-safe, weatherproof batteries ready to deploy. But support from policy and regulation would accelerate their adoption by those rental houses and location providers still working with diesel fleets.
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