With advancements in new battery technology, grid-assisted living finally makes financial sense.

In our last blog post, “An Introduction to Grid-assisted Living,” we covered the basics of grid-assisted systems and why you might want to consider this type of hybrid solar electric system. 

In today’s post, we’ll go over lithium-ion batteries, such as Tesla’s Powerwall and the LG Chem Home Battery. These new batteries are a game changer when it comes to grid-assisted living. Not only are they more affordable, but they are also more attractive and safer than lead acid batteries.

A Better Choice For Grid-Assisted Living

Things are improving with new battery technology. Prices of lithium-ion batteries range depending on what exactly you decide to go with, but a basic starting point is $3,500 (not including the solar panels and system components).

These batteries have the following advantages over lead-acid batteries:

• More compact and attractive meaning they take up less space in your home
• More resilient, and therefore, require less maintenance
• Longer lifecycle
• Batteries have wider charging capabilities, similar to a cell phone.
• They can be deeply discharged while still maintaining their voltage, without risking the life of the battery.
• Less expensive in the long run
• No need for venting harmful gasses

If you are interested in learning more about how traditional lead acid and the new lithium-ion batteries compare, check out this in depth article by AltEnergyMag.

The Tesla Powerwall:

Chances are, you’ve heard of Tesla’s new battery, the “Powerwall.”  This home battery is used just like a traditional backup battery. It allows homeowners to:

• Backup power for times when the grid is down, or if you just choose to sever from the grid and not purchase your energy from the utility
• Store electricity purchased at low, overnight-rates for use during the evening when peak rates typically apply (also known as “load shifting).
• Store power generated by PV systems for use at a different time of day.

According to Tesla’s website, a 14 kWh battery and hardware costs $6,200. The batteries are designed to integrate with SolarEdge technology.

The LG Chem Home Battery:

The LG Chem Home Battery offers the same uses as Tesla’s, mentioned above. You can use it both as a backup power source and as a way to store extra energy. This battery is readily available.

Just like the Powerwall, this battery allows for self-sufficient power generation/consumption for solar PV installed households.

To get the most functionality out of your home solar system, LG recommends integrating their home battery with the StorEdge Inverter by SolarEdge. The StorEdge is a single inverter for grid-tied solar systems that also manages DC battery backup storage power.

Free Yourself From the Grid

The ability to make and store power during the day for use at night enables homeowners to reduce their electricity bill even more, and take full advantage of the sun that’s hitting their panels.

Being able to store energy is also beneficial in that homeowners can use this extra supply during times when electricity prices are high, or when there is a power outage.

Furthermore, with advancements in new battery technology, you now have more options of how you get your power. You no longer have to get it exclusively from the grid.