How can you ensure that you have the best battery storage for your solar setup? Here are some points of comparison to keep in mind that will help you to select the right battery:
- System type – It’s important to keep the kind of system you have in mind when choosing the right solar battery. Off-grid systems have higher energy demands than hybrid systems that only need a battery for backup energy.
- Capacity – The storage capacity of batteries in kilowatt-hours (kWh) measures the total amount of energy that the battery can store.
- Round-trip efficiency – This measurement refers to the amount of energy it takes to store a battery versus the amount of energy the battery provides. All batteries will lose some charge while storing energy, but less energy loss means greater round-trip efficiency.
- Depth of discharge – Solar batteries cannot completely deplete without damaging them. Different batteries are discharged at different percentages, which is called the depth of discharge. A deeper depth of discharge means more energy from the battery, so be sure to keep this measurement in mind.
- Battery life – Battery efficiency will decline over time, so look for a battery with a longer life that will maintain high efficiency for a more extended period of time.