Energy storage batteries come in a variety of different sizes and weights and each have different characteristics.  Here is a comparison of the degradation after 10 years of batteries currently available in Australia with comparisons of size for a similar sized  system from other battery technologies.

You can see from this image that different battery technologies have different degrees of degradation over their lifetime. You need to take this into account when deciding the best battery for your needs. If a battery seems cheaper to purchase upfront but has then degraded significantly after a couple of years and may be down to only 50 or 60 % of original capacity after 10 years this will significantly affect how much power you can draw from that battery.

This degradation is also what may make it difficult to add additional batteries to an installation after a few years. In many cases with lead acid and lithium ion batteries you may need to purchase a new system if you want to add extra capacity. Continue reading “Battery degradation” →