When comparing quotes for different solar battery systems, it can be difficult to determine which characteristics and technical specifications matter most and with good reason: the home energy storage industry is so new that you probably don’t know anybody with a battery who you can ask about their experience. While every battery has to meet certain reliability and safety requirements in order to be sold and installed in the US, outside of those standards there is very little standardization of specs and characteristics across the batteries available on the market today. We’ve provided some tips on what to look for when comparing different battery quotes.
What to look for in a home solar battery: six measurements to consider
A solar battery stores electricity for later use, so you can keep appliances running during a power outage, use more of the solar energy you produce at your home, and even save money on electricity in some cases. They are often referred to as "deep cycle batteries", due to their ability to charge and discharge a significant amount of electricity compared to something like a car battery.
Energy storage systems provide a number of different benefits, from emergency backup power to even financial savings. But they also bring technical complexity and a new set of unfamiliar terminology. Here’s what to focus on and look for in a deep cycle solar battery.
How to decide which battery specs matter for your needs
There are a number of different potential decision criteria and comparison points to make when evaluating your energy storage options. Here are a few of the most common decision criteria, as well as which battery specs matter most if these criteria match your situation:
If you want to power more of your home at once, look for a solar battery with a high power rating
If you want to be able to power a more energy-intensive appliance (like a sump pump), look for a battery with a high instantaneous power rating
If you want to run your home with your solar battery for a longer amount of time, look for a battery with a higher usable capacity
If you want to get the most out of every kilowatt-hour of electricity you put into your battery, look for batteries with a higher round trip efficiency
How to decide which battery specs matter for your needs
There are a number of different potential decision criteria and comparison points to make when evaluating your energy storage options. Here are a few of the most common decision criteria, as well as which battery specs matter most if these criteria match your situation:
If you want to power more of your home at once, look for a solar battery with a high power rating
If you want to be able to power a more energy-intensive appliance (like a sump pump), look for a battery with a high instantaneous power rating
If you want to run your home with your solar battery for a longer amount of time, look for a battery with a higher usable capacity
If you want to get the most out of every kilowatt-hour of electricity you put into your battery, look for batteries with a higher round trip efficiency
If you are space constrained and want to get the most amount of storage out of the least amount of space, look for lithium-ion nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) solar batteries
If you want a battery with the longest lifetime that you can cycle the most amount of times, look for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries
If you want a battery with the absolute highest safety rating possible (don’t worry, they’re all safe!), look to LFP solar batteries
If you are space constrained and want to get the most amount of storage out of the least amount of space, look for lithium-ion nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) solar batteries
If you want a battery with the longest lifetime that you can cycle the most amount of times, look for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries
If you want a battery with the absolute highest safety rating possible (don’t worry, they’re all safe!), look to LFP solar batteries
