A Technical Look at Lithium-Ion vs. Lead-Acid
While traditional lead-acid batteries offer a lower upfront cost, lithium-ion excels in nearly every key performance metric that matters for a modern
Lithium-ion options provide 80–100% usable battery capacity due to their high depth of discharge, compared to 50–60% for lead-acid batteries, making lithium-ion more efficient. Why do lithium-ion batteries last longer than lead-acid?
Battery storage is becoming an increasingly popular addition to solar energy systems. Two of the most common battery chemistry types are lithium-ion and lead acid. As their names imply, lithium-ion batteries are made with the metal lithium, while lead-acid batteries are made with lead. How do lithium-ion and lead acid batteries work?
Like solar panel efficiency, battery efficiency is an important metric to consider when comparing different options. Most lithium-ion batteries are 95 percent efficient or more, meaning that 95 percent or more of the energy stored in a lithium-ion battery is actually able to be used.
The best lithium battery chemistry for solar applications is Lithium Iron Phosphate, shorted to LiFePO4 or LFP batteries. This new technology lasts longer and can be put through deeper cycles. They also require no maintenance or venting, unlike lead-acid batteries.
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