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Cheaper battery prices can have unforseen consequences
There are many things to take into account when looking at an energy storage battery for your home or business. These include safety, performance, operating temperature as well as recyclability and environmental impact.
Unfortunately many people only look at the initial purchase cost of batteries and this is what they use to compare different batteries. This doesn’t take into account what a battery may cost them over its lifetime or the cost to the environment of both the battery’s manufacture and end of life disposal. To make a realistic comparison of a battery’s cost you need to consider its full “cradle to grave” impact on all areas, including its safety during operation and its environmental impact.
Categories: Battery safety -
So much conflicting information on battery storage
When consumers go online to compare different batteries there is so much conflicting information available it is very difficult to get a clear picture of what is available and to understand what is happening in the industry. What is important is you compare similar products and don’t just listen to what salespeople are telling you.
If a product has been in use for a number of years the quoted figures are more likely to be reliable than if a product is new and hasn’t yet been tested in real life conditions. Generally batteries are tested in factories at 25 degrees. This can produce different results than are experienced in real life when temperatures vary widely.
Currently there are no relevant battery standards in Australia
Categories: Battery Storage -
What is your Energy Storage Battery Size?
Energy storage batteries come in a variety of different sizes and weights and each have different characteristics. Here is a comparison of some of the most common batteries currently available in Australia with comparisons of size for a similar sized 20kWh system. You can see from this image that size is not necessarily a good indication of the power that is available to be used in a battery installation. Some batteries have much better energy density than others with the FIAMM SoNick battery having the best energy density of all, although some of the newer lithium ion batteries also have a very good energy density..
If you have a lot of suitable space to store your battery this may not be relevant but if you are limited in space you may want to consider one of the more energy dense batteries. If there is a possibility of moving house you may want to take into account the battery size as well as its weight if you want to move it with you.
Categories: Battery Size -
Why do people look at battery storage?
With battery storage set to grow in the next few years there are many people that are interested in looking at this technology but there are also a wide variety of reasons that people are doing so.
Up until now most people that have used batteries to store their energy have been those that have been in situations where it was not possible, either for economical or proximity reasons to connect to the electricity grid. However, there are now many more reasons that people are considering battery storage and many more questions people are asking about the batteries they are looking at.
Over the last 5 – 10 years there has been a big push to install rooftop solar panels to capture electricity to use on the building the panels are installed on. This was encouraged by governments as they introduced feed-in tariffs to encourage people to install solar. This was so successful, as the general public took up these offers that governments soon decreased the feed-in tariffs and now they are extremely low or non-existent, depending on your state.
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Battery Recyclability
One of the things that you should consider when putting battery storage on your home is whether or not the battery will be recyclable at the end of its life.
Often, one of the reasons that people put solar panels on their house and put in battery storage to collect the excess usage is to protect the environment and reduce the need for coal powered power stations.
This can be counterproductive if you choose a battery that is made from toxic materials or has components that can’t be recycled.
Categories: Battery recycling -
Battery Operating temperatures
Most batteries will operate, with varying degrees of effectiveness in the 5- 35 °C range so are fine for the autumn and spring operating months, however if you want a battery that will also operate efficiently in winter and summer you need to understand how temperature has an effect on a batteries operating capabilities.
The ambient weather temperatures have a large impact on the performance and on the life of most batteries and unfortunately, it’s a characteristic that isn’t often talked about.
The optimum temperature for most batteries to operate at is around 25°C and this is the temperature all battery testing is performed at. When temperatures vary, either up or down there is an effect on the performance and life of most batteries.
Categories: Battery temperatures -
Battery Drawdown power
Energy storage batteries come in a variety of different sizes and weights and each have different characteristics. Here is a comparison of the 2 safe, recyclable batteries currently available in Australia, FIAMM sodium nickel chloride (SoNick) or molten salt battery and Aquion salt water battery, with comparisons of size for a similar sized system from some other battery technologies.
Another thing to consider is how much power you can actually draw from the battery at any point in time. Our SoNick battery can draw 150 amps for 4 hours continuously but some other batteries are very limited in the amount of power that can be used, maybe only with enough to boil a kettle and little more.
Categories: Energy storage -
Battery degradation
Energy storage batteries come in a variety of different sizes and weights and each have different characteristics. Here is a comparison of the degradation after 10 years of batteries currently available in Australia with comparisons of size for a similar sized system from other battery technologies.
You can see from this image that different battery technologies have different degrees of degradation over their lifetime. You need to take this into account when deciding the best battery for your needs. If a battery seems cheaper to purchase upfront but has then degraded significantly after a couple of years and may be down to only 50 or 60 % of original capacity after 10 years this will significantly affect how much power you can draw from that battery.
This degradation is also what may make it difficult to add additional batteries to an installation after a few years. In many cases with lead acid and lithium ion batteries you may need to purchase a new system if you want to add extra capacity.
Categories: Battery degradation -
Battery safety
There is a lack of knowledge on the variety of energy storage technologies, and thus on how to care for and operate them in a safe manner in the domestic and small commercial scale context.
Although battery storage is a low-risk technology, it is important that systems are installed and maintained by an accredited installer, and that industry best practice is developed.
Categories: Battery safety -
Battery weights
Different battery technologies are different weights as well as different sizes. This may be relevant depending on where you want to store your energy storage batteries.
Energy storage batteries come in a variety of different sizes and weights and each have different characteristics. In the above graphic several batteries are a similar weight, however you may need a number of batteries to provide the same output power which could increase the installation size and weight considerably.
Categories: Battery Size
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Categories
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- Battery safety
- Battery Size
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- Battery temperatures
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