Solar Battery Types on Solar Power

Solar power is a great way to generate clean and renewable energy for home or commercial. But there is a shortcoming, what happens when the sun goes down or the weather is cloudy? Thus, that is where solar batteries come in.

What is Solar Battery?

The solar battery is device that store excess solar energy from your solar panels and allow you to use it later when you need it. They can help you save money on your electricity bills, increase your energy independence, and provide backup power in case of grid outages.

However, not all solar batteries are the same. Here are 4 common types of solar batteries, each with their own advantages and disadvantages.

Lead-acid Battery

Lead-acid batteries are the oldest and most common type of solar batteries. They have been used for decades in cars, boats, and other applications. They are made of lead plates submerged in a sulfuric acid solution. When the battery is charged, the lead plates react with the acid and produce electricity. When the battery is discharged, the reaction is reversed and the lead plates are restored.

Pros and Cons of lead-acid battery

• Cheap, reliable and easy to recycle

• Low depth of discharge(DOD)

• Short Lifespan last for 5-10years

• Suits for off-grid solar system, emergency backup power

Lithium-ion Battery

Lithium-ion batteries are the newest and most popular type of solar batteries. They are widely used in smartphones, laptops, electric vehicles, and other devices. They are made of lithium metal or lithium compounds that store and release electricity through chemical reactions. When the battery is charged, the lithium ions move from the negative electrode to the positive electrode. When the battery is discharged, the lithium ions move back to the negative electrode.

Lithium-ion battery has different chemistries, among that LFP are the most common.

Pros and Cons of lithuim-ion battery

• Light, compact and Efficient

• High depth of discharge(DOD)

• High costs

• Need additional components to regulate voltage, current, temperature

Nickel-cadmium battery

Nickel-cadmium batteries are another type of solar batteries that have been around for a long time. They are similar to lead-acid batteries, but they use nickel and cadmium instead of lead and acid. When the battery is charged, the nickel oxide hydroxide and the cadmium react with water and produce electricity. When the battery is discharged, the reaction is reversed and the nickel oxide hydroxide and the cadmium are restored.

Pros and Cons

Durable, robust, tolerant to extreme temperatures and deep cycling, high power and fast charging

Heavy, expensive, toxic, suffer from memory effect

Industrial or commercial applications

Flow batteries

Flow batteries are a different type of solar batteries that use liquid electrolytes instead of solid electrodes. They consist of two tanks of electrolytes that are separated by a membrane. When the battery is charged, the electrolytes are pumped through the membrane and exchange ions. When the battery is discharged, the electrolytes are pumped back and reverse the ion exchange.

Pros and Cons

Scalable, flexible, long-lasting, high DoD, low self-discharge rate

Bulky, complex, expensive, low energy density

Large-scale or grid-scale applications