You’re considering switching to solar power to save money on electricity and support the environment by using sustainable energy. However, since you might not use all of the generated energy, you are also thinking about what will happen to the extra energy.
Solar batteries are the answer to this reasonable query.
What’s A solar battery ?
You as the owner of a solar rooftop are not required to consume the electricity right away. That is the basic justification for solar batteries.
Geographical conditions and climate, as well as culture and way of life, may be the factors.
For instance, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the country’s peak electricity demand typically occurs during the summer, when solar energy generation is at its lowest.
On the other hand, in homes where individuals work during the day, the highest energy demand is likely to happen in the nights rather than the afternoons.
The development of storage technology is required due to the discrepancies between energy supply and demand.
Serve to store excess energy generated by solar panels. This implies that even while energy output is at its lowest during cloudy or rainy days and after sundown, you may still use the extra energy to power your home.
What advantages can solar batteries offer?
First of all, solar batteries allow you to maximize the solar energy produced by your solar rooftop system. Wasting the extra energy would obviously go against the original goal of protecting the environment and using resources sensibly, wouldn’t it?
If you’re curious, read up on the environmental benefits of solar energy.
If your battery and rooftop solar system are big enough, you can power your house mostly using solar energy.
It may be less expensive per kilowatt-hour to use electricity from your battery than from the utility grid. The cost of electricity in the location and the time of day will determine this.
Solar storage also lessens the likelihood of falling feed-in tariffs and rising electricity prices.
Last but not least, solar batteries can reduce the variability of solar energy flows, or the changes in the amount of sunlight that hits photovoltaic (PV) panels or concentrating solar-thermal power (CSP) systems.
What different types of solar batteries exist?
The four primary types of batteries used to store solar energy are lead-acid, lithium-ion, flow batteries, and nickel-cadmium batteries.
Lead-acid: The first solar battery type. Due to its extensive history, it has been developed alongside clean energy sources.
Lead-acid solar batteries come in two different kinds.
The construction of sealed lead acid batteries minimizes the leakage of harmful gases into the atmosphere while they are being charged.
The second type of lead-acid battery is a flooded battery. This resembles a standard automobile battery in size.
Lead-acid solar batteries have a smaller depth-of-discharge compared to other storage choices, and they generally have a shorter lifespan. Additionally, they need routine maintenance. Because of this, lead-acid batteries are regarded as the most affordable of the four.
Remember that experts advise against charging lead-acid batteries past a 50% depth-of-discharge. If the battery is discharged more than that, its lifespan can be diminished.
Considering the far longer history of lead-acid batteries
Considering the far longer history of lead-acid batteries, we can refer to the lithium-ion battery type as “the new kid on the block.” It has been enhanced concurrently with advancements made in the battery technology needed for electric vehicles in recent years.
Residential home owners are fond of lithium-ion solar batteries. Three factors account for this:
They have a longer life span.
Less maintenance is needed.
Compared to lead-acid batteries, they are smaller and lighter.
In addition to these characteristics, these batteries have a higher useful capacity and can readily sustain deep discharges of 80% or more.
Having said that, a significant disadvantage of lithium-ion batteries is that they carry the risk of thermal runaway, which means that if they are not put correctly, they could catch fire.
Flow batteries
Flow batteries: The flow battery is a brand-new participant in the solar battery technology market.
Despite being a relatively new storage technology that still has to be improved, flow batteries are a popular choice for a few reasons.
It discharges at 100% depth. You can therefore utilise all of the energy that has been stored.
Flow batteries are non-toxic, in contrast to nickel cadmium batteries, which we will examine in the following section. They are water-based, which is the cause.
The drawbacks of employing a flow battery are now revealed.
Although its technology is still in the development stage, as we have already stated, it is more expensive than the alternatives.
Due to its limited storage capacity, it takes up more space.
Nickel cadmium
Nickel cadmium: Also known as “nickel batteries” and “Ni-Cd,” nickel cadmium batteries are a tried-and-true option in the battery technology industry.
They are renowned for their capacity to function at high temperatures devoid of sophisticated battery management technologies. They are more common among commercial-scale initiatives because of this.
One thing to keep in mind is that nickel batteries are a very old type of technology. They have a high level of toxicity, which makes them illegal in many nations.
Segmentation according to time
Solar batteries can also be divided into short-term and long-term storage categories according to time.
An operation like short-term storage can be finished in a few minutes.
The objective is to ensure that, for instance, a passing cloud won’t affect how well the solar system functions.
As its name suggests, long-term storage delivers supply over days or weeks as opposed to minutes or hours.
It makes sense to select it when solar energy output sharply declines as a result of a substantial climatic change.
Considerations to make while selecting a solar battery
Starting with personal requirements
Even better than a solar rooftop system is one that is connected to the ideal solar battery.
In addition to the battery features we will cover shortly, the following factors should be taken into account when choosing a solar battery:
location, climate, and geography.
Your solar rooftop system determines how much energy you can generate.
Energy usage: The amount of energy you use.
Lifestyle: Your financial situation and top priorities.
Here are a few instances to demonstrate all of this:
If you reside in a region where energy generation is highest in the afternoon but you use the most energy at night when you get home from work, you will surely profit from a storage system.
You will probably require a battery with a capacity of at least 10kWh, and possibly even up to 13kWh, if you have a 5kW solar system.
Aspects of Solar Batteries' Technology
There are benefits and drawbacks to each kind of battery. For this reason, it’s crucial to consider six crucial considerations when selecting a solar battery for your household or commercial property.
Battery Size/kWh
The battery size is firstly described as being expressed in kilowatt-hours (kWh). As was previously said, the kWh in a battery bank is used at night or in low-light conditions when the solar production is insufficient to power your appliances.
Depending on personal preferences, all batteries come in various sizes. Smaller batteries, for instance, can range in size from 2 kWh to 20 kWh or even more.
Energy Capacity/kW
In contrast to battery size, which is measured in kWh, the energy capacity of solar batteries is expressed in kilowatt-hours (kW).
To prevent confusion at the beginning:
The entire quantity of energy utilized is expressed in kWh.
In kW, the rate of power consumption is specified.
The power rating of a battery lets you know which appliances it can power at once as well as how many.
Remember that the majority of batteries sold today have a constant power output of about 5 kW.
Return Efficiency
The percentage of electricity stored for subsequent use is known as round-trip efficiency.
There are two situations when you might lose a few kWh of electricity, in brief:
When you convert a certain amount of kWh from direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC); When you store electricity in your battery and then use it again.
The roundtrip efficiency determines how much energy is lost during storage, the higher the better. Usually, it’s around 80%.
Dimensions of Discharge
What about the quantity of excess solar energy that you can actually use? You are utilizing a solar battery to store it.
Depth of discharge, or DoD, is among the most important factors to take into account when choosing a solar battery.
It is the maximum quantity of energy that can be drawn from your solar storage system.
Let’s use an 8 kWh battery with an 80% DoD as an example. This indicates that the most you can consume is 6.4 kWh.
Battery Lifetime
Three metrics are used to gauge battery lifetime:
years of operation anticipated
anticipated throughput
anticipated cycles.
Battery life is measured in years, although the expected throughput and cycles are comparable to the mileage warranty on a car.
Solar batteries have a very long lifespan.
They therefore don’t need to be maintained or replaced frequently. The good news is that solar batteries still perform well even after thousands of charges and discharges.
Safety
Finally, safety must always come first.
In general, solar batteries are regarded as being relatively safe. To be approved for installation in residences and establishments, solar batteries must all adhere to a set of safety standards.
Make sure the solar battery you intend to purchase complies with all of these requirements as a result.
How can Maxworld aid in your ascent through the sun? Planning to replace your roof and switch to solar power at the same time? Looking for design and technology advice? You’ve come to the correct spot.
Solar batteries, solar inverters, and other necessary parts are all included in the comprehensive solar system packages that Maxworld offers.
To receive a superior solar roof that is completely tailored and will shield your house for decades to come!