If you choose to generate your own renewable energy, you will inevitably make more than you can use. Batteries are a great way to ensure that no electricity goes to waste.
Having a good quality solar battery means that you can reap the full benefits of solar power. We¡¯re breaking down everything you need to know regarding solar batteries to help you decide if it's worth it.
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How Much Does A Solar Battery Storage System Cost?
Unfortunately, much like other elements of solar systems, batteries do have large upfront costs. On average, solar batteries will cost upwards of 2000. The size of the battery that you require depends on how much energy you use, when you use it and how much your panels can generate.
If you are new to using solar energy, you may also need to purchase solar panels and an inverter and do solar panels save money.
PV systems last 25 years on average so it is likely that they will need to be replaced at some point in the future. With the current payback period, your original panels will already have paid off by the time you need to invest in new ones.
If you have an existing small solar system, little excess energy will be produced and sent to the battery meaning that it may not make financial sense.
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Will Solar Batteries Come Down In Price?
Prices are expected to decrease significantly in the next few years. Solar battery costs are following a similar trend to solar panels. As they become more widespread, they are getting cheaper.
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How Many Solar Batteries Are Needed For A House?
The average three-bedroom household would require an 8kWh solar battery. If your energy uses are higher than this, then you will need a larger battery.
Some batteries are sized to the demand of the home and others are sized to the capacity of energy generated from your PV systems. Working out your usage can be difficult so advice from a professional can help to ensure you have the right figures.
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What Types of Solar Batteries Are Available?
There are different types of solar batteries available on the market, each ranging in price and suitability.
The two most common types are Lead Acid batteries and Lithium Ion batteries.
Lead acid batteries are much cheaper as they have been used for longer, whereas lithium ion batteries are relatively new and innovative. More people are choosing to invest in lithium batteries as they last up to 10 years which is several times longer than the life expectancy of lead acid batteries.
Lithium ion batteries also have a higher energy density and can charge much faster. Typically they are at least 95% efficient, compared to lead acid batteries that offer efficiencies of around 80-85%.
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What is the Lifespan of Solar Batteries?
As previously mentioned, battery life cycles vary depending on the type of battery you own. Average lifespans are 5-7.5 years for lead acid and 11-15 years for lithium batteries. Much like solar panels, these will need to be replaced for efficient use.
All batteries are vulnerable to shorter cycles if they are overcharged or exposed to extreme weather conditions and temperatures.
Taking the Depth of Discharge (DoD) into consideration can help prolong the life of your batteries. The DoD is a measure of the amount of discharge that has already occurred and how much capacity is left in a battery.
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What is the Capacity of Solar Batteries?
Storage capacity refers to the amount of energy your solar battery can store. It can also refer to the amount your battery can use and this can be calculated using the DoD.
The amount of storage capacity is measured in kilowatt hours (kWh). The amount of storage that you require will affect the cost of your solar battery storage system. Larger capacity costs more but can also store more energy and support a larger area.
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Is There Financial Aid?
In many European countries, there are grants available to help fund your renewable energy systems. The European Energy Efficiency Fund (EEEF) aims to support the climate goals of the EU to promote sustainable energy by providing funding.
The European Union has also approved funds called Next Generation EU that have unprecedented subsidies of 660,000,000 and aim to boost renewable energy and reduce CO2 emissions.
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How Much Money Can I Save With A Solar Battery?
Using a solar battery can save you money on your energy bills. With commitment to your generation of solar power, they can even fully fund your energy needs.
Any electricity that you do not need, you can sell back the grid to help earn more money from your panels. However breaking even relies on several factors such as:
- The type of system you own
- The amount of energy used
- The initial cost of the system
- Where you live
It is important to weigh the potential savings against the cost of installation and how long the battery will last.
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Solar Power With Bluetti
Here at Bluetti, we offer a large range of home solar systems that are suitable for all of your needs.
Our EP600 is the perfect system to help lower your monthly costs. It is powerful enough to store plenty of electricity to ensure that you can become fully independent from the grid.
Our battery system has a tailor-made capacity of 9,920Wh that extends to 79,360Wh by teaming up with our B500 expansion battery packs.? We use a LiFePO4 battery to ensure unparalleled safety with a battery management system (BMS) that uses an automotive-grade Dual Core CPU and advanced DSP control technology for high efficiency and optimal performance.
Our innovative experts are the first to use aluminium alloy materials to create strong, durable and corrosion resistant battery storage systems.
