The energy market is changing quickly, and solar storage units (solar batteries), are a huge part of this. An ever-increasing number of Australians are installing solar batteries to supplement their rooftop solar system, to store the power created by their panels for use later on, or to export back to the grid in return for a discount.
If you’re thinking about installing a solar battery, then please stick around. As we take you through the nuts and bolts, including what a solar battery is, the types of solar batteries there is information about cost, lifespan, and availability of solar batteries available in Australia.
A solar battery’s main function is to store power created by solar panels to use after sunset. Usually, when power is created by solar panels that aren’t utilized promptly by a household, it is redirected to the grid, where the client gets what’s is known as a ‘feed-in tariff’ – a discount on their energy bill.
Grid-tie and Off-grid Solar Battery Systems
| Grid-tie | Off-grid | |
| Inverter | Dual function inverter permits excess produced capacity to be supplied to the utility grid while keeping the energy flowing from the boards as well as a battery bank when the utility grid is down. | Standalone off-grid inverter needed just to convert DC from boards into AC for use in the home appliances. |
| Battery size | Frequently scaled to provide power to just those devices and/or appliances as “directed” by the proprietor to the installer (lights, PCs, fridge, cooler, and so forth.) Optional, similar to its size. | Required to get to energy when solar panels are not producing enough power for the household. Size fluctuates as per the proprietor’s requirements. |
Solar energy is the fastest-growing industry. In recent years, few innovative battery storage technologies have come. For the individuals who aren’t concerned about it, a solar battery is basically simply – a battery that stores power generated by your sun oriented solar panels. A few years back, solar energy that was not promptly utilized by your household would be transferred into the energy through the grid. Nowadays, if your home has installed battery storage, this energy would now be stored and utilized later on.
There are a few reasons to opt for a battery bank for residential solar PV System:
- Energy Independence
- Significant economic benefit
- Power backup
- Net metering credit
- Not bound to the daily cycle of the sun
Major types of solar batteries
| Lithium-ion | Flooded Lead-Acid | Gelled Electrolyte Sealed Lead-Acid | Sealed Absorbed Glass Mat Lead-Acid (AGM) | Flow |
| Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries can be utilized for solar energy storage. It is the most commonly used battery. It is lightweight and smaller than a Lead-Acid battery because of its high storage capacity.
A good quality battery can last as long as 10 years. It is temperature sensitive and expensive. Its price twice that of Lead-Acid batteries. It doesn’t require any water filling or refilling maintenance. |
A flooded Lead-Acid battery is ideal for medium to high capacity off-grid. The battery size is similar to auto batteries, yet a full bank of batteries is space-consuming. The battery life span depends on many factors like cycling etc. Well-maintained Flooded Lead-Acid batteries can last as long as 15 years or more, yet four to eight years is almost certain. It is the cheapest of all types of PV solar applications. It requires regular maintenance like adding water, cleaning terminals, etc. | Gelled Electrolyte Sealed Lead-Acid uses silica gel in which electrolyte is suspended. It is ideal for most profound cycle applications. It varies by storage capacity, yet similar to a marine or auto battery. For home, it will consist of a few batteries. If properly maintained, battery lifespan will be 8 years, but in most cases, battery lifespan will be two to five years. Slightly expensive than a comparable limit AGM battery. But the cheapest upfront cost of all types of solar PV applications. | Sealed Absorbed Glass Mat Lead-Acid (AGM) in which the electrolyte is held in thin glass mats rather than openly flooding the plates. It is well-suited for standalone applications with inconsistent discharges, yet innovation is improving. The battery size is Similar to flooded lead-acid and Gelled Electrolyte Sealed Lead-Acid batteries. It requires no maintenance. It is a slightly lower upfront cost than Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries but more expensive compared to flooded lead-acid batteries. | The flow consists of reaction stacks isolated by electrolytes held away tanks. It is ideal for large power storage. Its size varies, can be exceptionally huge. It has a low maintenance cost. The battery has a long lifespan- 25 years or more for vanadium redox batteries. It is expensive; despite the fact that advances in organic aqueous technology may lead considerably to bring down costs going ahead. |
There are several batteries are available in Australia
LG Chem Battery:
Enphase AC Battery:
The Enphase AC Battery™ is easy to install, protected, very reliable, and provides lowest lifetime enery cost for both new solar clients and retrofit clients. As an installer, you can plan the appropriate system size to meet the requirements of the householders.
Features:
- It is quick and easy to install.
- Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) technology for long cycle life.
- Plug and play installation.
- Cells safety tested and ensured by TÜV Rheinland.
- Prismatic cells are highly stable with respect of time.
EWS Alpha:
Features:
- Easy to install.
- Fast response.
- High UPS capacity.
- AlphaESS uses Li-phosphate for its safety and long lifespan.
- All systems can be monitored by Web and iOS/Android APP.
