Solar Battery Storage - Product Comparison
A variety of solar storage products are entering the market at a rapid pace, finally.
Here, you can find out what solar storage batteries are available in the New Zealand market, products that are close to being released; and how they all compare.
We have done our very best to ensure our facts are correct in this table, but please be sure to check figures with solar installers before purchasing. For any feedback, please contact us.
Specification definitions are below the table.
|
Battery Storage System |
Tesla Powerwall |
LG Chem RESU |
Panasonic |
Enphase AC Battery |
SolaX-Box |
Sonnen |
|
Product Image |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Available on the market? |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Model |
6.4 kWh |
RESU 6.4 EX |
LJ-SK84A |
AC Battery 1.2kWh |
X-HYBRID SERIES |
8.2 Eco (NZ + AU) |
|
Battery Type |
Lithium-ion |
Lithium |
Lithium-ion |
Lithium Iron Phosphate |
Lithium-Ion |
Lithium-Ion |
|
Useable Storage Capacity |
5.44kWh
|
5.12kWh |
8.0kWh
|
1.14kWh per battery |
Comes with 2 x 2.4kWh batteries, 3.84kWh is useable. Add up to 6 batteries total. Therefore up to 11.52kW useable storage. |
Comes with a 2kWh battery. 2kWh is usable. Add up to 8 batteries for 16kWh of usable storage. |
|
Output |
TBC |
TBC |
2kW |
260W |
Up to 4.6kW grid connected / 6kW in backup mode |
1.5kWh |
|
NZ Recommended Retail Price or *Estimated Price (inc GST) |
TBC |
$9,995* |
$16,000* |
$2,400* (per unit) |
$9,995 (the unit with 2 x 2.4kWh batteries). Extra $2,400 for every 2.4kWh battery thereafter.
|
$9,000 (for the base unit of 2kW). $3,000 for every additional 2kW unit. |
|
Product Warranty |
10 years |
10 years |
10 years |
10 years |
5 years |
10 years |
|
Performance Warranty |
The warranty covers 740 cycles or 85% of 6.4kWh (i.e. 5.4 kWh) of capacity for the first 2 years (whichever comes first). Then it covers 4.6kWh for 3 years or 1,087 cycles. And for the last 5 years, it covers 3.84kWh or 2,368 cycles. |
Nominal Energy 6.4kWh for 7 years after the date of invoice and at least 60% of Nominal Energy 6.4kWh for 10 years after under proper conditions of the use during the Term of Performance Warranty
|
10 years |
>80% capacity, up to 10 years or 7300 cycles |
2,400 cycles at 80% DoD |
10,000 cycles at 100% DOC |
|
Includes Battery Management System? |
Yes |
Yes |
TBC |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Includes an inverter? |
No |
No |
TBC |
Yes |
Yes - 5kW |
Yes |
|
Can it be used for off-grid and hybrid modes? |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes - Hybrid Only |
|
Weight |
100kg |
60kg |
84kg (159kg with batteries included) |
25kg |
200kg (with 6 batteries) |
53kg - Base unit |
|
Dimensions |
862 x 1302 x 183 |
406 x 664 x 165
|
966 x 1380 x 279 |
390 x 325 x 220 |
1626 x 678 x 655 |
TBC |
|
Operating Temperature |
-20°C to 50°C |
0°C to 40°C
|
0°C to 40°C |
-20ºC to 45ºC |
-10ºC to 50ºC |
5°C to 40 °C |
|
Depth of Discharge |
100% |
|
|
>95% |
80% |
100% |
|
Cycle Life |
740 cycles at 85% DoD, then 1,087 at 72%, then 2,368 at 60% |
2,625 cycles at 80%DoD then 1,500 cycles at 60%DoD |
3650 cycles @ 60% DoD |
7300 cycles @ 95% DoD |
4000 cycles |
10,000 |
|
Roundtrip Efficiency |
92.5% |
95% |
|
96% |
97% |
93% single phase - 96% three phase |
Articles about each product:
Tesla Powerwall
Panasonic
Solax-Box
Sonnen Eco 8.2
Enphase AC Battery
Define: Cycle Life
As batteries charge and discharge the continual process causes batteries to degrade, gradually reducing their ability to store energy. A common occurrence with smart phones, for instance.
This is important as it helps you figure out the value of the system. For example, one of the batteries specified Cycle Life might be 4,000 cycles at 95% DoD (depth of discharge). This means that a battery can drain to 95% of its charge capacity before it must be recharged. The process of the battery draining will therefore happen 4,000 times before the battery comes to the end of it's life.
Define: Useable Storage Capacity
The usable battery storage is the batteries total capacity, however it takes into account the batteries depth of discharge (DoD), to show you how much of the battery is actually usable.
Define: Output
The amount of power that can be released from a battery at any given time. For example, if a batteries out put is 2kW then that would be enough power to use a 2kW oil fin heater. If the output rate is only 500w, the oil fin heater would use the power from the battery, but would also need to draw 1.5kW from the grid or directly from solar panels.
Define: Performance Warranty
A performance warranty is given by all manufacturers. The batteries are expected to slowly degrade, thereby reducing their capacity over time.
Define: Battery Management
Battery management systems monitor and protect batteries and help to control the batteries environment, keeping the battery safe and prolonging its life.
Define: Depth of Discharge (DoD)
It is the amount of power a battery can discharge, represented as a percentage figure. 80% is a typical DoD figure, meaning the battery can only discharge 80% of its capacity before it needs charging again.
Define: Cycle Life
Because batteries degrade over time, their depth of discharge reduces. Manufacturers will suggest that the DoD level will decrease after a certain amount of cycles.
Define: Battery Roundtrip Efficiency
This factor shows us the ratio of the amount of power going into the battery compared to the amount of power that leaves the battery. The percentage will never be 100% due to heat loss within the battery.
