Store electricity from a photovoltaic system?

Hello EarlGrey

Of course, there is the possibility to store electricity. And not just for 24 hours, but for days and weeks. I assume that you have long been using this possibility yourself: in your phone, laptop, remote controls, wristwatch, ... , ...

This invention is called "accumulator" or simply "battery"

And now comes the best part: Batteries do not care at all whether they are charged with solar power or with electricity "from the socket"!

So of course you can also use batteries to store your solar power. Why not?!?!

The real question is: Is it worth it??

Unfortunately, I have no idea how much batteries of sufficient size currently cost. However, I know the lifespan of the battery in my phone or my laptop...

Therefore, I cannot imagine that batteries for household supply will last longer than 5-8 years. And I dare to doubt (without knowing) that the investment pays off even remotely within this time. So if it is not about money but you want to be as self-sufficient as possible, then you should get more information from specialists!

But please don’t forget: conventional lead-acid batteries can emit gases – if you want to put them in your basement, then you should be aware that you will have an Ex-area (explosion-hazardous area) in the basement – and therefore you have to implement appropriate safety measures… And if you want lithium batteries... lithium has a beautiful flame if it catches fire – surely looks great – but unfortunately can hardly be (if at all) extinguished... Therefore, I would – no matter which – only place batteries in a well-ventilated (and air-conditioned) room outside my house... But that’s just my opinion...

I am not an expert on batteries – therefore, if I were you, I would inquire with the specialists – practically every major battery manufacturer also offers solutions for photovoltaic systems. For example, the market leader (the one with the V) presented a very interesting system for energy management of storage banks at the last photovoltaic trade fair (no idea what that is supposed to cost). I can well imagine that this can really increase the lifespan of the storage...

Best regards Micha

There are currently products trying to establish themselves on the market. If they are based on conventional accumulator technology, I would strongly advise against it, just like Micha. However, I am only a consumer and a technical layman. What recently made the news: Scientists from the [Zentrum für Sonnenenergie- und Wasserstoff-Forschung] in Stuttgart, in cooperation with the [Fraunhofer Institut], have developed a storage capability for photovoltaic electricity. The keyword here is "Power to Gas." Hydrogen and methane are produced through overcatalytic processes, which are technically easy to store. The whole thing is still at the laboratory stage but sounds very promising. -ks

Hello Karliseppel

the "Power to Gas" is already beyond the laboratory stage. However, it is still not economical enough to be built on a large scale. There are already some plants that - afaik since 2009 - have been running, but the efficiency is still poor. Especially the second step - the methanation of hydrogen - is not yet mature. However, this is a technology that is interesting for large power plants (especially wind turbines) - it has absolutely no relevance to private individuals. Or do you want to build a chemical factory in your basement?

Other technologies - e.g. electrolytes as energy storage ("Redox-Flow") - are still as large as a prefabricated garage and still have a very limited energy density.

For the private sector, there are only batteries. Or batteries. Nothing more (yet).

Regards Micha

At the moment, I would still keep my hands off! The solar power storage systems that currently "pay off" (more or less) are regular lead-acid batteries... in other words, car batteries. The really good solar storage systems in the form of lithium-ion batteries are currently still too uneconomical (purchase cost). Wait and see!

oh yes, one should not forget that the solar storage systems have been subsidized since 1.5.2013!

... In terms of technology and price, the market will continue to evolve over the next one to two years. From conversations with several providers, it repeatedly emerged that the technology is on the rise, but one should still wait.

Affordable, decentralized storage of solar power is coming! Module prices have noticeably fallen by now! Best regards