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?
Lead acid batteries comprise lead plates immersed in an electrolyte sulfuric acid solution. The battery consists of multiple cells containing positive and negative plates. Lead and lead dioxide compose these plates, reacting with the electrolyte to generate electrical energy. Advantages:
Lithium-ion batteries are lighter and more compact than lead-acid batteries for the same energy storage capacity. For example, a lead-acid battery might weigh 20-30 kilograms (kg) per kWh, while a lithium-ion battery could weigh only 5-10 kg per kWh.
Lead-acid batteries consist of lead dioxide (PbO2) and sponge lead (Pb) plates submerged in a sulfuric acid electrolyte. The electrochemical reactions between these materials generate electrical energy. This technology has been in use for over a century, making it one of the most established battery technologies available.
Both lead-acid batteries and lithium-ion batteries are rechargeable batteries. As per the timeline, lithium ion battery is the successor of lead-acid battery. So it is obvious that lithium-ion batteries are designed to tackle the limitations of lead-acid batteries.
A lead acid battery system may cost hundreds or thousands of dollars less than a similarly-sized lithium-ion setup - lithium-ion batteries currently cost anywhere from $5,000 to $15,000 including installation, and this range can go higher or lower depending on the size of system you need.