Solar power proves to be beneficial in more ways than one. As a result, thousands of Australian businesses and households choose to go solar every year. However, one concern that worries a lot of solar owners is this – what to do when there is no sun? It is obvious that solar panels work only in the presence of the sun, i.e. daytime, and any excess energy generated is sent back to the grid. At night or on days when sun exposure isn’t ideal, solar panels have little utility. Instead, you may have to purchase the required energy back from the grid – resulting in a hike in your energy bills, which seems counterproductive. A solar battery can help you turn that around. It might demand an initial investment, but it proves extremely useful in the long run, especially if your property is located in an area with frequent power outages.
Here’s what you need to know about solar battery and solar battery storage:
Types of solar batteries
There are multiple types of solar batteries available in the market – Lead-acid batteries, lithium-ion batteries, flow batteries, and sodium nickel chloride batteries. The most widely preferred options, however, are lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries. Between the two of them, though, lithium-ion battery is the undisputed winner. Lithium-ion batteries may be a notch pricier than lead-acid batteries, but their higher charge and discharge efficiency and the number of cycles delivered over their lifespan make up for that.
Cost of a solar battery
The advantages of installing a solar battery are indisputable. However, the only thing that seems to stop most solar owners from getting a battery is how expensive they are(Voila, now battery rebates available). Their cost generally depends on their storage size and, in some cases, a suitable battery inverter. It’s noteworthy that not all batteries can support the same type of solar inverters. Your solar battery will largely depend upon the compatibility and other requirements of your solar panel system.
Fall in the prices
Up until a couple of years ago, solar batteries were not as prevalent as today, mainly because of the vast investment they demanded. Owning of recent technological advancement and competitive market spirit, that is no longer the case. Solar batteries have turned much more affordable over the last few years, resulting in a rise in their demand. Since 2007, right up until 2014, the prices of solar batteries dropped on an average of 14% every year. In the year 2016 alone, nearly 7,000 home solar batteries were installed
Solar battery compatibility
Not all solar inverters are compatible with all solar batteries. If your solar inverter is significantly old, it may be a good idea to switch it with a hybrid inverter, which has surfaced in the market only recently, and pack both the solar inverter and the solar battery single unit.
Even if you don’t decide to go for a solar battery right at the stage of installing your panels, it is recommended that you invest in a solar panel system and hybrid inverter compatible with a solar battery, should you decide to get a solar battery in the future
Talk to our experts on 1300 867 328 to understand your solar needs better.
Finance options for solar batteries
Solar batteries do demand an initial investment, but their advantages outweigh the costs involved. What we mean to say is – don’t let budget hold you back.
At Solar Secure, we have a variety of pocket-friendly finance options to make that part easier for you.
If you have decided to install solar panels on your rooftop, then you already know that you need a solar battery to store the energy that you can use when the sun goes down or if the day is overcast.You can find many pieces of information scattered around out there, and it can become decidedly overwhelming.
Therefore, we have narrowed down the vital steps and products in this guide to help you select the correct solar battery for your home.Solar Battery TerminologyIf you have made some research on solar batteries, you must have come across a few recurring terms on the way.
A battery can degrade over time, but modern, cost-effective batteries should last up to thousands of cycles for longevity.Depth of discharge: The depth of discharge refers to how much energy a battery can store and how much power it can deliver each time.Operating temperature range: All batteries have an optimum temperature range where they can work efficiently.
Solar batteries can be temperature sensitive.
It is popular since it requires less amount of oxygen than others and is comparatively safer for households.
Flow batteries, on the other hand, use either zinc or bromide to produce energy.
