The polluting effect has always been one of the great
concerns when generating energy. Before the advent of lithium batteries, you
were concerned about how to store electricity and have that power available
when needed. And it is that the photovoltaic batteries where it was stored were
very polluting and carried many risks.
What is "green building"?
The main objective is to introduce building automation and control systems to accelerate the cost-effective renovation of existing buildings, such as the integration of home automation systems. Thus, it introduces an intelligence indicator to evaluate the technological readiness of the building.
How to achieve this ambitious goal? Improving the constructive conditions of the houses, to require much less energy than the current constructions. And also getting the necessary energy with a lower ecological impact and in a more efficient way.
What role do batteries play in a photovoltaic installation?
The batteries help to not depend on the electrical supply network. By covering the consumption of the house with solar panels, the photovoltaic installation is stable and thus we are able to be self-sufficient. During peak production in sunny hours, the electricity that is not used in the home is stored in a lithium battery or a lead acid battery. This excess electricity can later be used.
High performance batteries
The price of batteries can be a hurdle for some people. Despite this, we must take into account the benefits that high-performance lithium batteries can bring us compared to other technologies.
This type of solar battery, thanks to its characteristics, increases the efficiency of photovoltaic energy installations. They recharge quickly, can be almost completely discharged, and have no memory effect. Another advantage it offers us is its long useful life, which will help us offset its high price. They also don't need ventilation, so installing them in a room without it would not be a concern. Neither would the harmful gases that other models give off. They require little maintenance, so the costs are lower than with other technologies. And its installation is also easier due to its low weight.
Current lithium batteries are the most widely used. But they are only the beginning. With time and the improvement of technology, the sustainability of photovoltaic batteries continues to improve and materials are discovered that improve the qualities of traditional lead acid batteries, as well as current lithium batteries.
High performance battery types
- Lithium batteries. As we have already mentioned, these are batteries that take up little space, do not weigh much and do not emit harmful gases. Easy to place anywhere, they are quick to load and can be unloaded without compromising their useful life.
- Steel-copper battery. Battery that is currently under study and has yet to be tested in real operation. The main components of this type of photovoltaic batteries come from recycled scrap.
- Sodium-manganese battery. They are under development. They arose from a theoretical concept in 1928. And it is based on a structure of Manganese with one electron less. Which is known as the "1-plus" or "monovalent" state. The environmental footprint of this type of photovoltaic batteries would be very small.
- Aluminum-graphite batteries. They are also in development. It would be the first high-performance battery in which aluminum and graphite were used in its manufacture, two very cheap materials.
- Aluminum-air primary cell. It is a primary battery in which the aluminum is replaced to recover its full energy capacity. It is more efficient than current lithium batteries. Its weight is less and considerably reducing the risk of explosion. Research on this type of batteries is more focused on the automotive sector
Photovoltaic installation: Is it possible to add batteries?
If our goal is to be self-reliant, the answer is yes. You can run a photovoltaic installation and over time add batteries to it to be able to use your own energy and be completely autonomous. A photovoltaic installation can work without a battery, but then we would not be taking advantage of that energy that has been generated during the day. Without the battery, we would have no way to store it for later use, for example at night. Then we will have to make use of the energy coming from the network.
Benefits of high performance solar batteries
- Long service life: they can last up to 7,000 cycles, which is equivalent to more than 19 daily charges and discharges.
- Charging time: high-performance batteries are the fastest to charge
- Discharge capacity: can be discharged almost completely without impairing their useful life.
- Large storage: we will use the electricity accumulated during the day in the batteries at night, being able to accumulate 5,000 Wh in 10 hours.
- Size and weight: it is not necessary to have large spaces or ventilated places for their installation, since they are relatively small, as well as light.
- Performance warranty: 10 years or more warranty.
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