Since 2008, the U.S. solar power capacity has increased by over 28000%, and the current capacity of 97.2 gigawatts is more than sufficient to power 18 million American homes. These numbers are astounding and have certainly played a part in making homeowners switch to solar power. But, before you jump the gun, it is crucial to understand the best solar battery company for your needs.
A solar battery stores energy from the solar photovoltaic system and converts the energy into electricity, which then passes through an inverter before powering your home. These batteries are engineered specifically to be used in combination with photovoltaic systems, and can also store the additional power generated by your solar panels for future use.
What to Look for in Solar Batteries?
- Power Rating – A battery’s power rating refers to the number of kilowatts (kW) of electricity it can deliver at once. This way you’ll know how many appliances your battery can power simultaneously.
- Storage Capacity – The storage capacity of a battery indicates how long it can power various appliances in your home. A battery’s usable capacity reflects the quantity of stored power that can be accessed.
- Round-trip Efficiency – The round-trip efficiency of a battery is a measure of how many units of power will be received for every unit of electricity you put into it. The less the waste, the better it is for you.
- Life-cycle – This is a measure of how many times you can charge and discharge your solar battery.
Who makes the BEST Solar Batteries
Tesla
Tesla is spearheading the clean energy movement with their solar power battery system called Powerwall. Each Powerwall system is equipped with metering and energy consumption analytics. You can also use the smart features on the Tesla app to customize your off-grid power experience. These batteries have a usable capacity of 13.5 kWh, a maximum power rating of 5 kW, and a roundtrip efficiency of 90%. They also have a lot less equipment involved, resulting in much cleaner installations.
Enphase
The Ensemble solar battery series from Enphase uses a smart switch powered by a Microgrid Interconnect Device to ensure that your system transitions smoothly between grid power and backup power. This series also has a considerably long life cycle and does not have a singular point of failure, making it a reliable solution for your solar battery needs. It also has a usable power capacity of 10.08 kWh and a maximum power rating of 3.84 kW, in addition to a roundtrip efficiency of 89%.
Sonnen
The sonnenBatterie effectively manages the use of grid power and helps you save as much as possible on electricity bills. The series has three different models – eco, hybrid, and pro. The eco model is the ideal choice for homeowners looking for a reliable off-grid system. The hybrid system includes the inverter for your photovoltaic system and removes the need for equipment to convert direct current from the roof to alternating current to power your home. These systems have a storage capacity of 5 kWh – 15 kWh and have an average lifespan of 10000 charge cycles.
LG
The LG RESU solar battery is both lightweight and compact and retains a minimum of 80% of the nominal energy for at least 10 years. It has a continuous power capacity of 4.2 kW and has a round-trip efficiency of 95%. The RESU 10 has a total energy of 9.8 kWh and a maximum power capacity of 5 kW.
BYD
BYD’s battery-box HV offers unparalleled cycle stability, and its modular design allows users to extend systems using two to four battery modules of the B-Plus H 2.5, reaching up to 10.24 kWh of usable energy. This system has a round-trip efficiency of around 95.3%.
Which One Should You Buy?
The average solar battery has a lifespan of 5 to 15 years. It means you will need to replace your solar batteries at least once over the lifespan of your solar panels, which typically last 25 to 30 years.
To sum it up, you should compare the power rating, storage capacity, roundtrip efficiency, and lifespan of the different systems available in the market and contrast them with home appliances and your usage habits to make an informed decision.
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