Industry Background

Electronic Shelf Labels (ESL) have rapidly become a core component of modern retail digitalization. As supermarkets, warehouses, and convenience stores evolve toward real-time pricing and automated inventory management, ESL devices require reliable, compact, and long-life power solutions. Lithium batteries—especially customized rechargeable Li-ion and LiFePO4 packs—play a crucial role in ensuring system uptime, communication stability, and long operational life.

ESL systems typically rely on wireless communication technologies such as BLE, NFC, Zigbee, or proprietary RF. As stores adopt dynamic pricing strategies, ESLs may update data tens or even hundreds of times per day. Each update, refresh, or communication burst consumes energy. This creates a significant need for an optimized, low-power, rechargeable energy solution that balances size, safety, and long-term usability.

Pain Points

Traditional coin-cell batteries face several limitations:

1. Limited discharge capability during communication spikes
2. Shorter cycle life and chemical aging in high-update environments
3. Frequent battery replacement causing labor cost and downtime
4. Incompatibility with new ESL systems that integrate color e-ink displays or sensors

These constraints lead retailers to shift toward rechargeable lithium solutions that provide stable communication endurance, higher cycle life, and long service intervals.

PKNERGY Solution Value

PKNERGY provides customized ESL lithium battery packs designed for long-life, ultra-low-power applications. Our solutions offer:

• High cycle life suitable for intensive daily updates
• Stable discharge performance supporting RF bursts
• Compact form factors tailored for slim ESL housings
• Safe chemistry with industry-grade BMS protection
• OEM/ODM flexibility for voltage, capacity, connector, and communication requirements

Our Li-ion and polymer packs ensure smooth communication, stable display refresh, and reduced maintenance in high-demand retail environments.

Related PKNERGY Battery Solutions

• Custom Lithium Polymer Battery
• Custom LiFePO4 Battery
• Custom Sodium-ion Battery
• Industrial Automation Battery Solution
• Consumer Electronics Power Solution

Technical Insights

A typical ESL device requires:

• 3.7V nominal lithium battery
• 300–1200mAh depending on display size
• Peak load support during RF transmission
• Ultra-low standby current

PKNERGY integrates customized BMS modules with protections including:

• Overcharge / over-discharge protection
• Overcurrent protection for RF burst loads
• Short-circuit protection
• Optional NTC temperature monitoring
• Tailored connectors such as JST-PH, JST-GH, or solder pads

Our engineering team ensures the pack meets communication frequency demands and minimizes energy loss during standby mode, improving ESL deployment efficiency.

Use Cases

PKNERGY ESL lithium battery solutions are ideal for:

• Supermarkets with frequent price updates
• Warehouses using digital labels for inventory accuracy
• Convenience stores deploying color e-ink ESL displays
• Industrial bin labeling systems
• Smart retail shelves with sensors (weight, motion, RFID)

In all scenarios, a stable power system is essential to maintain continuous and accurate ESL operations.

Conclusion

Rechargeable lithium battery systems are reshaping the ESL industry by providing long-term reliability and operational flexibility. PKNERGY’s custom ESL battery packs are engineered to support the demands of modern smart retail, reducing total cost of ownership and improving system performance.

For OEM/ODM ESL battery solutions, PKNERGY is ready to support global partners with engineering expertise and fast development cycles.

FAQ