As solar power becomes an increasingly cost-effective way to power homes and businesses, choosing the right battery becomes a critical purchasing decision. At the end of the day, lithium solar batteries provide more advantages than lead acid batteries.
Here’s why you should consider lithium solar batteries when installing a grid for your home or business:
1) Lithium Is Efficient
Lithium’s high efficiency (compared to traditional lead acid battery types) is well documented. This holds true for solar batteries as well.
Lithium-ion solar batteries don’t lose capacity when depth of discharge (DOD) exceeds 50%. This means that if your battery discharges to below half of its capacity, it’s maximum capacity won’t take a hit. Lead acid, conversely, loses longevity if energy discharge dips below this threshold, making it notably less efficient. Lead acid’s rate of discharge slows down considerably as it approaches depletion, whereas lithium maintains performance right up until it is drained.
Lithium-ion is also one third of the weight of lead-acid batteries, on average. It charges quickly and features an 80% or higher usable capacity. While lead acid typically has the same rated capacity, it’s heavier, charges slowly and requires multiple charging sessions to achieve the same level of charge that lithium achieves in a single session.
2) Lithium Is Safe And Long-Lasting
Lithium-ion’s superior life span and ability to perform in extreme environments makes it a suitable
choice for your home or commercial solar grid. While a lithium-ion battery commands a high price tag, the long lifespan makes it worth the investment.
Because lithium-ion doesn’t need to be maintained to function properly, it’s also very safe. The LiFePO4 formulation, an increasingly popular lithium-ion battery chemical composition, is among the safest battery options available on the market.
3) Lithium Is Green
It would be ironic to invest time, money and effort into building an eco-friendly energy system and not choose a green battery option like lead-acid batteries.
When lead acid batteries are disposed of improperly, the harmful chemicals inside pose a serious risk to the environment. LiFePO4, by comparison, contains no heavy metals, acid, lead or carcinogens.
Lithium-ion solar batteries can also be recycled efficiently. Tesla, for instance, works with partners in multiple countries to recycle its batteries into “completely reusable materials” and reduce lithium-ion manufacturing’s carbon footprint by 70%.
Why choose lithium solar batteries? If you’re serious about developing solar grid storage for your home or business, don’t sell your investment short by choosing dated battery technology. Opt for a lithium-ion solar battery to get more performance, life span, safety and flexibility, and build the best solar storage system possible.