Up until recently, solar storage has remained largely unchanged over the last 30 years. Back in the day, lead acid batteries did some serious struggling in hot and cold temperatures. Li-ion solar batteries to the rescue! Crazy-low temperatures like 0 degrees Fahrenheit will only take solar battery’s performance down ten percent or so. This means that even when your home battery gets cold, it can still store and provide your household with almost as much energy as it would on a normal day. When things warm up, solar batteries do have to work extra hard, but they can still stand the heat. At a temperature of 86 degrees Fahrenheit, solar batteries do continue to work, but performance jumps down 20%. If your home depends on your home battery for energy, reliability is key. Despite a performance drop, your solar battery isn’t going anywhere. Solar home battery capacity is there for you, whatever the weather.
Though lithium-ion battery technology was introduced in the 1970’s, it took twenty years for it to really gain popularity. Lithium, the lightest of all metals, has the greatest electrochemical potential. This means that lithium provides the highest energy density per weight, far lighter and more efficient than the previously popular lead acid battery. Lead acid batteries can weigh a ton (not literally, but you get it), making them far more difficult to transport. The weight of lead acid batteries also makes usability much less convenient for residential customers.
The growth of lithium-ion technology has brought along with it many advantages. In comparison to batteries that have been popularly used in the past, lithium-ion batteries are cleaner, live longer, recycle better, and require much less maintenance. But the advantages don’t stop there. The solar battery market has skyrocketed because of its ability to solve the solar energy glitch--the fact that solar power isn’t constant (because the sun doesn’t shine at night). More on that later.
Solar batteries have a super high cycle life. This means that solar batteries can support a higher number of complete charge/discharge cycles before their capacity falls under 80%. This means that solar batteries don’t require frequent maintenance or replacement. After charging and discharging solar batteries thousands of times, they still remain highly functional. In fact, solar batteries are virtually maintenance-free, allowing owners to enjoy using the battery without worrying about permanent damage due to deep discharge. There are many other things in life that demand and captivate our attention. Your solar battery doesn’t have to be one of them. Your energy storage system can now be here to support you and your household, instead of the other way around.