A battery is a device designed to store energy from a renewable source, such as a solar panel, a wind turbine, or an internal combustion engine.
The battery is used in photovoltaic solar energy systems either when the installation is not connected to the electrical grid (off-grid) or in hybrid systems that are connected to the grid but have a backup system for when generation is low or nonexistent, such as on cloudy days and at night.
Photovoltaic systems with battery backup give their users greater freedom from intermittent power outages.
Lithium ion battery manufacturers in India have, in recent years, created solutions tailor-made for Solar Energy Systems. This article was written to shed light on a product that is currently trending upwards (and has every reason to continue doing so) in the solar industry.
Battery for solar energy: 3 main types
Your car’s battery was probably the first thing that came to mind.
Attempts to modify this battery for use in photovoltaic solar energy generation are quite common. However, that’s not the case!
The purpose-built characteristics of automotive batteries set them apart from currently available solutions for use in solar power.
To get an automobile started, a battery must deliver a high current for a brief time. Long discharge times necessitate the use of stationary batteries.
There could be serious complications if you attempt to use car batteries in a solar-powered setup. Battery life may not be as long as advertised, and accidents may occur if the battery is charged and discharged incorrectly. Then we’ll have to rely on permanently installed batteries!
If you’re in the market for a Photovoltaic Solar System with battery backup, you should be aware that a solar battery is the result of a number of different manufacturing technologies. Below, you’ll get to know a few of them better.
In that case, keep reading to find out how you can acquire the most suitable battery for solar power.
Lead Acid battery
Lead-acid batteries, in particular, are the industry’s oldest rechargeable option. The 1900s saw their introduction.
One electrode is made of pliable lead, while the other is made of powered lead dioxide. The electrolyte solution is a key element of its physical makeup.
There are 65% molecules of water and 35% molecules of sulfuric acid in the electrolyte. When these parts are powered up, the battery is fully charged.
Low energy density (due to their bulk and weight) and a limited number of charge/discharge cycles are their primary drawbacks.
Nickel-Cadmium battery
For quite some time, portable electronic devices have relied heavily on nickel-cadmium (NiCd) technology.
It has a high value when we consider the fact that it can be recharged multiple times.
The nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH) technology has similar characteristics to the previously popular nickel-cadmium (NiCd) technology, but the main advantage is not using cadmium, a toxic material that is a problem for the process of getting rid of spent batteries.
Lithium-Ion battery
Today, lithium-ion batteries are the standard. The 1970s marked the beginning of research into the development of this technology, but the 1990s marked the beginning of its commercial use.
As a result, lithium-ion technology is now used in factories, grids, and cars.
Lithium batteries have many advantages over their nickel-cadmium and, especially, lead-acid predecessors:
- high durability
- smaller and lighter batteries
- higher energy storage capacity
- best cost benefit
- higher loading speed
- among other advantages
Since the flammable electrolyte poses a fire hazard at high temperatures, additional safety measures must be taken to ensure the product’s integrity.
Watch the Loom Solar video on their YouTube channel if you want to learn more about the different kinds of batteries and lithium ion battery price and if you still have questions about the solar energy batteries.
