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Australia is already recognised as the principal global testing ground for battery storage technologies, which is why nearly all the major battery storage developers are releasing products here to take advantage of high network charges and the highest penetration of rooftop solar PV.
But which is the best product? That depends on what the consumer wants to do with the battery – go off-grid, provide back-up in case of a blackout, act as a hedge against time of use pricing, or simply to store their own solar energy for use at night.
The team led by Finn Peacock, from Solar Quotes, has developed what we think is the most comprehensive table that compares the numerous battery storage offerings in Australia – giving details on price, capacity, depth of discharge, dimensions, and purpose, and a list of pros and cons, and an overall assessment.
“As demand for solar battery storage starts to climb I’m getting more and more questions along the lines of: ‘I’m interested in batteries. What are my options – apart from a Powerwall’?,” Peacock says.
“A comprehensive answer to that question is hard, as new storage products are launched weekly. And trying to make an apples-for-apples comparison is even harder as many specifications are not online and even prices can be hard to get.”
Peacock says the aim of his Battery Storage Comparison Table is to eventually have every battery storage product available in Australia in the table, so their specifications and prices can be easily compared.
“When compiling this table we didn’t just get the required information from the manufacturer’s websites – because a lot of it is not there. My team had to call up and ask for much of the information you see presented in the table.
“Interestingly we found that when specifications are missing from a battery manufacturer’s website, it is usually because that particular number doesn’t compare favorably with the competition.”
And the initial findings? Peacock’s team votes in favour of the LG Chem Resu Product, a 6.4kWh lithium-ion product that retails for around $7,500, and has a 3.2kWh “expansion” product available.
“LG has put out, in our humble opinion, the best combination of price and performance currently available on the marketplace,” Peacock’s team notes.
Here is a taste of the table. Overall, there are 11 batteries storage products assesses, and 16 different criteria assessed. More can be found here.
“The table is our first effort,” says Peacock, and he says it will be updated monthly with new products as his team becomes aware of them. Presmably, this will include the new Australian offerings from Ecoult and Redflow. He’ll be updating those findings on this website.
Giles Parkinson is founder and editor of One Step Off The Grid, and also edits and founded Renew Economy and The Driven. He has been a journalist for 35 years and is a former business and deputy editor of the Australian Financial Review.
This post was published on March 16, 2016 10:39 am
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I think I will be looking at the Aussie Redflow product , that's recyclable and won't Blow up (Li) . The plates in Redflow can be replaced after 10 yrs and has a water based solution . Telstra has had them for years(Larger units ) in remote locations .
The Redflow definitely has promise, but currently is inefficient on low current draw.
The home system has not been released yet ?
That's correct, but it's the nature of the battery. They can't slow the flow down through the electrode stack too much or it doesn't produce enough voltage, so smaller electrode stacks is the way to go to make it more efficient with respect to low current draw.
Agree Redflow is one to watch. As @solarguy points out, we have spent a decade reducing our energy requirements to a minimum, and now we need to just keep them ticking over through the night. I trust Redflow to do the right thing - first saw them on Magnetic Island at the Townsville ANZSES conference, and was very impressed with their efforts.
If room and domestic hot water heating is most of your energy usage, google "hot PV" for an energy storage method using hot water which is a tenth the cost of battery storage.
Storing any excess solar PV in hot water is indeed a good option as long as you need the hot water. It doesn't help at all if you want to use some of that excess to power your TV, lights, cooking etc at night. Thats why battery systems will also be essential.
That's true, but in the southern states, heating can be 75% of energy use, leaving 25% which can be provided by a much smaller and thus cheaper battery storage.
The battery strorage vendors only ever talk about summertime conditions or perhaps systems for the northern parts of Australia or for those using timber from the back paddock for all heating.
Your ideas will cost far more than you think. And remember in this country we need to stay cool in summer as well. My recommendation to anyone reading your BS is to look at reverse cycle A/C with battery storage. Far more efficient, far cheaper. That can actually be powered by PV.
With solar PV , its a no brainer . Boxed up my good gas heater and did the reverse A/C one year and compared my credit bills .
Finn, it would be good to tell that some are just batteries and some are complete all in one systems.
Great point, we'll put a filter for that so you can compare batteries and all-in-ones separately in the next iteration.
Yes, it's a problem contemplating the LG when one has a "cannot bring myself to buy anything that would see my beloved 3x Sunny Boys retired", hence SB Storage and 'a battery bank'
Oops, apologies, the LG Resu product is inverter agnostic, I was thinking of LG's earlier all-in-one floor standing unit, which included an inverter capability. This one looks good.
In answer to both posts, you can keep the SB's, but you will need an SMA Sunny Island Inverter/Charger or an Schneider XW to AC couple to the SB's.
If the SB's are older than 10yrs it might be worth considering scrapping them for a Redback DC coupled Inverter/Charger. Cheaper and more efficient.
How did $3,000 USD for the powerwall become $8,000 AUD? My exchange rate calculator can't work it out.
Ask Elon Musk! With GST and margin, you are looking at approx $8,000 AUD to buy one over here. Elon was being a bit optimistic with pricing.
$3,200 of margin and shipping? That's what I calculate.
The installers are making much smaller margins than that on Powerwalls - they are paying a lot more than $3,000 USD to buy them wholesale.
You're surprised about US$3k being translated into the Oz market? Goodness, look at so many consumer item exchange rate changes - from IT gear to good cars. Wait until you see the US$35k Tesla 3 Oz price - but we will still order them in droves!
Tesla said that you can have one of their cars, anywhere in the world that they sell them, for the same price as in the US plus shipping plus taxes, and they have been true to their word for the model S.
I was hoping that they would continue that pricing structure for the powerwall, but alas that does not appear to be the case. We should petition them to do the same.
It might appear that the problem doesn't lie with Tesla, as many solar retailers have gotten used to 30% margins.
Following the link it seems that the Sunverge system is the only one that is priced "fully installed" with that in mind I'm not sure how you conclude that the LG system is the best value?
The LG Chem Resu on the table appears to read 1.4KwH, rather than 6.4. It may be my eyes, or it may be formatting.
Great to get some information and comparisons of storage systems. Will definitely check it out before purchasing storage. The more informed we are the better.
The SimpliPhi product claims 10,000 cycles, that is huge! I have seen test data, whilst 10,000 seems a little excessive, certainly is a good battery!
The SimpliPhi looks amazing. Expensive though.
Your info on Tesla powerwall says "3000 cycles at 80%." The Tesla powerwall site says "100% depth of discharge". As well a 10 year warranty at 1 cycle per day is 3650 cycles minimum. Those are warrantied minimum cycles. Musk said on camera at shareholders meeting "this is a 5000 cycle battery" He also said "this is a 15 year battery".
Great point!
1) Elon Musk said that almost a year ago. Specs change a lot in a year - especially with Tesla products.
2) Our information is direct from SunEdison who sell Powerwalls, we spoke with them on the phone to ensure the specs in the table reflected reality.
3) I love Elon, but he can be prone to exaggerating.