Types of solar batteries: A guide to solar energy storage

Factors to consider when choosing a solar battery

Within the realm of lithium-ion solar batteries, there are many different products available currently with various capabilities, price points, and intended uses. While this article explores permanently installed solar energy storage for homes, lithium-ion solar batteries are also typically used in portable energy systems.

Home solar battery capacity and quantity

A solar battery's capacity determines how much energy can be stored and used in your home or exported to the electricity grid. Although prices naturally rise with increased storage capacity, larger battery systems can also be more valuable in offsetting all or most of your utility electricity expenses.

If sustained power during local outages is your primary motivation for a solar battery, rather than total energy independence, then you may not necessarily need to install a large backup reserve. Instead, you could opt for a smaller capacity, lower-cost system designed to exclusively run your property's essentials.

Today, most solar batteries can be "stacked," so that you can find the optimal storage capacity to meet your energy goals and budget. Just as solar microinverters make it easy to add solar panels later in the life of your home energy system, it may also be possible to incorporate additional solar batteries after an initial storage installation.

Solar battery size and installation requirements

When choosing your home solar battery, you may find that various products have differing installation guidelines or requirements. Provided there's enough space on your property, most high-quality lithium-ion solar batteries can be mounted onto the wall indoors or outdoors and are typically found in garages, utility rooms, and other non-living spaces.

AC-coupled vs. DC-coupled battery

Lithium-ion solar batteries may be AC- or DC-coupled, depending on the design of your energy system. While DC-coupled battery systems may be slightly more efficient, neither technology is explicitly better. In general, AC-coupled batteries are considered easier to install or replace on an existing system and allow you to store electricity from your solar panels or the energy grid.

When designing your home solar power system, it's important to talk to your installer about plausible storage options and whether an AC- or DC-coupled solar battery will make more sense for your installation.

Solar battery efficiency and features

While all solar batteries are built to store and discharge renewable energy, a system's "round-trip efficiency" represents how well it can do so. Beyond efficiency alone, many of today's top solar batteries also include special operating features to optimize your home's electricity generation and consumption.

Typically controlled with an app or on the hardware itself, advanced solar batteries include several operating modes to automatically minimize your ongoing electricity costs or leave the lowest possible carbon footprint while remaining prepared for local power outages.

Warranty and expected lifespan

Finally, a solar battery's warranty coverage is the best way to guarantee your energy independence and ensure your investment in electricity storage will be worth it. Along with the included warranty period, a solar battery may be more likely to perform for its expected lifespan when purchased from a reputable brand, rather than a riskier, cheaper alternative.

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