The growth of renewable energy, especially solar energy, means that we will eventually be able to power our homes and businesses with energy sourced solely from renewable resources. As countries around the world begin to adopt sustainable energy policies, large-scale solar power stations are popping up as a result.
A large solar farm not only provides energy, but the constant flow of electricity can also be used to power devices such as water heaters and pumps, which in turn can help to reduce a household’s or business’s energy bills. However, there are some challenges that need to be overcome. Specifically, energy stored in batteries should be considered as a potential source of energy as well, and this requires some knowledge of battery technology. Here are ten things you need to know about commercial energy storage for solar energy.
1. Cost
The cost of commercial energy storage for solar energy is continually decreasing. While it can be fairly high-cost to purchase a large number of individual storage devices such as batteries, the overall cost per installed battery can be significantly reduced as more manufacturers enter the market. The cost of storage will continue to decrease as new technologies emerge and the number of devices installed worldwide increases. We now have battery technologies that can store more energy than previously estimated, which in turn has caused the cost per installed battery to decrease by 75% over the last decade. Batteries have reached the point where they are now a commodity and the cost of one battery is largely dependent on its size and the amount of energy it can store. The cost of large-scale energy storage for solar energy is largely determined by the size of the battery that you need. For example, if you need a 10kWh battery module, the cost will be fairly high, but if you need a 2.5kWh battery, the cost will be much lower.
2. Capacity
One of the primary concerns with any form of energy storage is how much energy can it store, and how much do you need? The energy density of a battery is a measure of how much energy it can store per unit of volume. For example, the energy density of a lead acid battery is around 130Wh/L, which means it can store 130Wh of energy in a cubical container that is one litre in size. Obviously, the amount of power that a battery can store is also dependent on the capacity and size of the battery itself. Smaller batteries with a high energy density can store more energy per unit of volume than larger batteries with a lower energy density. The larger the battery, the more energy it can store. There are various ways in which a battery’s capacity can be increased, such as by upgrading the materials used in its construction or by increasing the number of cells that are packed into it. Batteries that are part of a renewable energy system, such as a large solar farm, should be periodically recharged to maintain their performance.
3. Cycle Life
This refers to the number of times a battery can be charged and discharged without failing. The ability of a battery to store energy becomes less as this cycle life declines, and eventually, it will fail completely. The cycle life of a battery is determined by a number of factors, including the materials used in its construction and how well these materials are combined together. The type of charge and discharge cycles that a battery undergoes can also have an effect on its cycle life, with constant recharging causing a rapid decrease in its life, as compared to charging and discharging in short bursts. The construction of a battery also has a major impact on how many cycles it can undergo before failing, as materials that are poorly combined together or packed too tightly will result in early failure. The safer, the better: having a longer cycle life is preferable as it provides more opportunities to use and recharge batteries without undergoing early failure. Batteries that are part of a renewable energy system should be serviced at regular intervals to ensure that they continue to operate at their rated capacity.
4. Safety
Every year, more and more people are discovering the many benefits of renewable energy systems, which in turn has driven the need for safe and reliable energy storage technologies. One of the primary concerns with any type of energy storage technology is how safe it is when used in conjunction with a renewable resource, such as solar power. The amount of energy that a battery can store and how quickly it can be discharged determines its level of safety. The higher the energy density and the rate of discharge, the more safety-related concerns that may arise. Batteries that are part of a renewable energy system should be serviced at regular intervals to ensure they remain operational and do not pose a safety risk to anyone who comes into contact with them. These batteries also need to be disposed of properly by trained professionals, which adds further accountability to the process.
5. Efficiency
The efficiency of a battery refers to how effectively it is able to convert the energy that is supplied to it into useful electrical energy. The higher the efficiency of a battery, the more useful energy that it will produce for your specific application. For example, the efficiency of a lead acid battery varies between 95% and 97% depending on the type of load that it is powering and how well it is maintained. Batteries that are part of a renewable energy system should be serviced at regular intervals to ensure they continue to operate at their rated efficiency.
6. Service Life
This is similar to the cycle life of a battery, but it refers to how long it will take for a battery to require servicing after installation. Batteries that are part of a renewable energy system should be serviced at regular intervals to ensure they continue to operate at their rated capacity. This will depend on a number of factors, including how much energy they have stored and how many times they have been charged and discharged, as well as the cost of the service that is required. If the service life of a battery is extended, it provides more opportunity to use and recharge it without having to fear that it will stop working at some point during use.
7. Power
The power of a battery is another useful way of measuring its overall capacity, and it is expressed in watts. The higher the power of a battery, the more useful energy that it will produce for your specific application. The type of load that a battery is connected to also has a direct effect on how much power it will generate. For example, when powered by solar energy from a sunny day, a battery will generate relatively high power compared to when it is connected to a grid-tied electrical power source. The majority of the power that a battery generates will be converted into heat, which needs to be removed through some form of cooling system. Batteries that are part of a renewable energy system should be serviced at regular intervals to ensure they continue to operate at their rated efficiency.
8. Packaging
This refers to the container or packaging in which a battery is shipped and the materials that it is made of. Batteries that are part of a renewable energy system should be shipped in recyclable and environmentally conscious containers, such as cardboard or plastic bottles. Recycle and composting the materials that these containers are made of is also important in order to maintain a sustainable environment.
9. Mobility
This is the ease with which a battery can be moved from one place to another using standard transport techniques. The majority of batteries are now designed to be mobile, which makes them much easier to use and install in a number of different locations as needed. This can be extremely useful, especially if you are installing multiple batteries in different places around a home or business.
10. Durability
This refers to a battery’s ability to withstand physical stresses inflicted during use. The majority of batteries undergo continuous wear and tear as they are constantly powered on and off during use. This causes them to gradually deteriorate over time, with some types of batteries, such as lithium-ion batteries, having a significantly shorter lifespan than others, such as lead acid batteries. The larger the capacity of a battery, the more physical stress that it will undergo and the quicker it will deteriorate. Batteries that are part of a renewable energy system should be serviced at regular intervals to ensure they continue to operate at their rated efficiency.