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Battery storage has become an increasingly popular option for homeowners looking to either improve their home solar system or gain independence from the power grid. But as an emerging energy technology, the different types of battery storage can be confusing. With so much choice, where should homeowners start? One of the first decisions you will need to make is whether to buy an AC or DC battery.
Here's a look at what this means, the pros and cons of AC and DC, and how to choose the right battery storage system for your home.
AC and DC are abbreviations for two types of electrical current known as "Alternating Current" and "Direct Current." The biggest difference between them is in the distances they can travel without suffering major power losses. For example, AC can travel long distances without losing much power whereas DC electricity can't travel so far but is much easier to store.
Since AC is much better than DC for long-distance transmission, the power grid uses AC. Likewise, most of your home appliances use AC. However, solar panels produce DC power, and that's also how most batteries store it. This means that before you can use any electricity from your panels or battery, it needs to be converted into useable AC power.
Converting power from your solar panels or battery into useable AC electricity for your home requires an inverter. It's this device that is responsible for the biggest difference between AC and DC batteries.
AC-coupled batteries require two inverters, one for the battery and if you have solar panels, one for these too. Here are the pros and cons:
DC-coupled batteries only need a single inverter. Here are the pros and cons:
It's worth noting that you can install and use batteries without having rooftop solar panels. With an increasingly unreliable grid and recurring utility company outages, standalone battery systems are becoming a viable option for backup power over traditional gas-powered generators. Here, the batteries can be recharged and store power from the grid. You can then choose to use your batteries as backup power during planned or unplanned outages or to manage your electricity bills by switching to battery power when utility rates hike during peak hours.
This depends on several factors, including whether or not you already have solar panels installed on your roof and what your budget is. While both types of batteries can be used almost anywhere, AC-coupled batteries are a good option for existing solar systems, as they're cheap and easy to retrofit. On the other hand, if you're installing new solar panels and a battery at the same time, DC might be a better match as they're usually more efficient and suffer fewer power losses.
Battery storage technologies can provide you with plenty of benefits with or without solar panels. For example, they can boost your energy independence, lower your carbon footprint and give you more control over your electricity bills by providing a source of power you can tap into when utility rates increase. What's more, if you live in an area that suffers regular power outages, batteries can ensure you always have electricity when you need it.
Panasonic's total home energy system makes access to solar systems and battery storage easy, by providing a complete renewable home energy solution. The EVERVOLT battery storage system also comes in both AC and DC-coupled models.
Talk with your local authorized Panasonic installer today to find out which one is best for your home.
They power many different things from razors to radios to remote controls. We all use them, but do we really know what batteries are and how they work?
One common type of battery is the single-use (primary) battery, which is the type you’ll find in most household devices. These batteries contain chemicals which are great for moving electrons, but not so great if they enter a landfill.
Another type of battery is the rechargeable battery. Obviously, these batteries can be recharged and reused multiple times, making them a good option for sustainability. But even rechargeable batteries reach a point where they are no longer useful and need to be recycled.
Let’s look at a typicaldry cell AA battery. On the outside, there is a casing. One end, or terminal, is negative, called an anode. The other end is positive, called the cathode. Both the anode and cathode are also known as electrodes.
The battery’s body separates these electrodes. Within the battery’s body are electrolytes, chemicals which act as a barrier between the anode and cathode.
When a battery is not in use, the electrolytes and electrodes are dormant. As soon as you make a circuit, for example, by putting the battery into a flashlight and turning it on, a chemical reaction takes place.
The anode reacts with the electrolytes and produces electrons, which build up at the battery’s negative terminal. The anode is usually made from a material that likes to give up electrons (i.e. zinc).
At the positive terminal, the cathode reacts with electrolytes to create ions — atoms with too few electrons. The cathode is usually made from a metal that likes to collect electrons (i.e. copper).
The electrons want to travel from the anode to the cathode. The electrolytes act as a barrier. When we turn on our flashlight, those electrons find the path of least resistance through the circuit we have created. They flow through the flashlight’s wires and bulb to the cathode, which is how the bulb is illuminated.
A battery can only perform this chemical reaction a certain number of times. After that, the battery can no longer generate a charge, and should be safely recycled.
Fun Experiment
Did you know that you can make a simple battery out of a lemon? All you need is a lemon, some wire, a copper penny, and a zinc nail.
Simply wrap the wire around the penny and the nail and insert each into the lemon, making sure they don’t touch each other.
The acid in the lemon acts as an electrolyte, and the zinc and copper function as the anode and cathode. It won’t be powerful enough to move a car, but you can certainly hook up a small bulb or digital clock to the terminals!
You may also have seen a similar experiment using a potato. The science behind how food can generate electricity is really fascinating. Food contains energy. With the lemon battery we are using zinc and copper electrodes to move that energy.
Electrons flow from one electrode to the other through the acids in the lemon. Just like in a battery you can buy at the store. But don’t try making lemonade out of store-bought batteries!
Batteries may seem like small and insignificant devices, but they play a surprisingly important role in our world. The next time you change a battery, take a moment to appreciate the science inside, and don’t forget to recycle!
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