Yes, lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries technically fall into the category of lithium-ion batteries, but this specific battery chemistry has emerged as an ideal choice for home solar storage and therefore deserves to be viewed separately from lithium-ion. Compared to other lithium-ion batteries, LFP batteries:
Lithium-ion – particularly lithium iron phosphate (LFP) – batteries are considered the best type of batteries for residential solar energy storage currently on the market. However, if flow and saltwater batteries became compact and cost-effective enough for home use, they may likely replace lithium-ion as the best solar batteries.
Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries have become the predominant choice for home energy storage (among many other things) due largely to their high energy density. Basically, you can pack a ton of power in a small space – which is ideal for storing thousands of Watts of solar production in your garage.
Lithium-ion batteries are the most common type of battery used in residential solar systems, followed by lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and lead acid. Lithium-ion and LFP batteries last longer, require no maintenance, and boast a deeper depth of discharge (80-100%). As such, they’ve largely replaced lead-acid in the residential solar battery market.
Popular lithium-ion solar batteries include the LG RESU Prime, LG ESS Home 8, Generac PWRcell, and Tesla Powerwall. Wait, lithium again?
Battery chemistry is very important in home solar batteries today. Today, most home energy storage systems use lithium-iron phosphate batteries. You may also see this written as LFP. LFP batteries are safer and longer lasting than other battery types. A few home batteries today still use nickel-manganese cobalt (NMC).