World's biggest battery to be built at KURRI KURRI.
All the points in replies re lithium from my last post I see as moot points considering how they are used compared to the cost.
Instantaneous current - not required in this application - even if you stuck the kettle, toaster and dryer on at the same time, older battery tech would handle it easily and so would the inverter.
Weight to install - each battery is not that heavy, even lead acid - I used to install huge UPS’s - (100’s of KVA) - the racks get loaded one battery at a time so no crane needed and one guy can do it, not 2 so cross that off as being a benefit, it sounds like a hinderance to me.
Current and voltage curve and usable storage - inverters can handle the current and voltage curves of older tech batteries no dramas, and you can put twice the amount in and get a longer life from them and still be cheaper than the lithium option.
I don’t hate lithium - I love the tech and run a couple in my vans - but there’s a place for them and I just think some people get caught up in the hype and nothing else is all.
So, for my my money I wouldn’t go lithium for a home installation - I’ve been doing the sums recently and I can get a bigger, better, longer lasting system for my money.
Just my 2 cents.
World's biggest battery to be built at KURRI KURRI.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
windsock
What would you go for?
I’d go sodium ion if I was in the market (will be another year or two before I am I think) - they last for ages have a discharge depth almost that of lithium and are heaps safer - I’ve had a small drone battery explode and catch fire on me - I wouldn’t want to be around for a larger scale version of that - while uncommon, big lithium batteries do go up in flames and there’s nothing you can do to stop them once they get going. Added to that as far as I can tell they are cheaper too, and given the materials used are very common they won’t be subject to wildly fluctuating prices like lithium is. They are not as widely used so there isn’t the production scale at the moment to bring the cost down but they are gaining traction and the actual material cost for them is significantly cheaper - they are sort of sitting where lithium was 5 years ago - on the edge of mass production.
Disadvantages - they are about twice the size and many times the weight of an equivalent lithium battery for the same output, so only a disadvantage if you live somewhere that has absolutely no room but for the vast majority it is we’d have a spot outside down the back of the house we could stick a large fridge sized object or two if you’re going big.
That’s my point - save the lithium for where it’s needed - vehicles, etc where weight and space matter. These big battery banks they are building could easily be done with current sodium tech for less money per KWH - and it’s not like they are short of room where they are building these things.
I’m not anti lithium or think any less of anyone that installs that at their house, I’m just pointing out there is an alternative that’s not lead acid. I think they’ve had their day for the most part and with so few charge/discharge cycles compared to lithium and sodium they aren’t suitable for home use unless you’re getting them for basically nothing.
