Investing in solar is smart; pairing solar with a Lithium-ion batteries storage unit is even smarter. While Lithium-ion batteries tend to be a higher initial investment than lead acid batteries, their superior performance and longevity makes them an ideal choice for off-grid and grid-tie applications.
When selecting a battery to complement your solar system, understanding the advantages that Lithium-ion batteries have over lead acid batteries is essential. Below are some key advantages:
1) Lithium battery are efficient.
According to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the efficiency of lead acid batteries is around 70% to 80%. This low efficiency is present throughout the life of the system. In a world where inverters and charge controllers are reaching efficiencies in the high 90s, it is highly desirable that the energy storage system is also highly efficient. This is where Lithium-ion batteries exceed lead acid batteries since their efficiency is typically 99%.
Harvesting all the energy from your renewable energy system is another way in which Lithium-ion batteries outperform lead acid batteries. The low charge acceptance of lead acid batteries often means that your inverters and charge controllers must reduce the energy that they can harvest so as to not exceed the low charge currents that lead acid batteries can accept. Lithium, on the other hand, does not have such a disadvantage since they can be charged at the 1C rate. For example, if your Lithium-ion battery has a capacity of 100 Ampere-hours, you can charge your battery with 100A.
2) Lithium-ion batteries are long lasting.
The cycle life of a battery, defined as a discharge followed by a recharge, is an important parameter in batteries since it determines how long your batteries will last. This is another area where Lithium-ion batteries outperform lead acid batteries since they often last 20 times longer than lead acid batteries. If you discharge your lead acid battery 100% of its capacity it will deliver about 400-600 cycles. A Lithium-ion batteries on the other hand will deliver 8,000 cycles under the same conditions.
One of the reasons that lead acid batteries do not last as expected is their sensitivity to being undercharged. If a lead acid battery is chronically under-charged, it will suffer significant damage and its life will be reduced by 80%. This is important since renewable energy sources are naturally intermittent with the end result of the batteries being operated at partial states of charge. With lithium, you do not need to worry since cycling Lithium-ion batteries at partial states of charge does not harm them in any way.
3) Lithium battery is cost-effective.
With lead acid batteries you often have to over-size your battery bank to limit how much you discharge your batteries. Most lead acid battery manufacturers do not recommend that you discharge their batteries beyond 50%. This means that your battery bank has to be 2 times bigger than it really needs to be. Lithium-ion batteries allow you to use 100% of their energy without any damage. Thus, removing the need to oversize your battery bank.
Battery experience a decrease in capacity at low temperatures. This means that the battery bank has to be over-sized to meet the energy requirements of the solar system at low temperatures. Lead acid batteries are significantly affected by low temperatures whereas Lithium-ion batteries are not.
4) Lithium battery is zero maintenance.
Lead acid batteries need to be carefully monitored and maintained; if water levels drop too low, you have to refill them or face significant damage and hazard risk. Lithium-ion batteries, conversely, require zero maintenance after installation. While you should monitor any battery you purchase – even lithium – upkeep is reduced significantly with a lithium-based solution.
Lithium battery are also very space-efficient. If you’re setting up your solar application and find yourself running out of room for batteries, choose lithium to reduce your size constraints considerably.
Compared to lead acid, lithium battery offers a more compelling energy storage option in nearly every situation. If you’re unsure about your solar power storage needs, contact us so we can help determine the perfect fit for your application.
Interested in more? Get all the technical specifications you need to find the right lithium solar battery for your application.
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