Lithium-ion batteries have several advantages over lead-acid batteries. They are more efficient, have a higher energy density, and are lighter and smaller. Lithium-ion batteries also have a longer lifespan and can be charged and discharged more times than lead-acid batteries.
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?
However, they are heavy and bulky, have a shorter lifespan than lithium batteries, and require maintenance to keep them running properly. On the other hand, lithium batteries are lighter, more efficient, and have a longer lifespan, but are more expensive upfront.
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. Conversely, lead acid batteries see efficiencies closer to 80 to 85 percent.
Safety: Lithium-ion batteries are considered safer due to their reduced risk of leakage and environmental damage compared to lead-acid batteries, which contain corrosive acids and heavy metals. Additionally, lithium-ion batteries have built-in safety features like thermal runaway protection.
Lithium batteries are also capable of delivering high power output, which is important in applications such as electric vehicles. Another advantage of lithium batteries is their longer lifespan. While lead-acid batteries typically last for around 500 cycles, lithium batteries can last for thousands of cycles.