{"id":77906,"date":"2023-08-14T11:41:53","date_gmt":"2023-08-14T02:11:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/?p=77906"},"modified":"2023-08-14T11:41:53","modified_gmt":"2023-08-14T02:11:53","slug":"how-big-are-solar-batteries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/how-big-are-solar-batteries\/","title":{"rendered":"Sizing Up Solar Batteries: A Comprehensive Guide to Dimensions and Energy Density"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"How<\/p>\n

While we often talk about solar battery capacity, let’s take a detour and explore their physical dimensions \u2013 yes, their actual size. It may seem like an odd question to some, but understanding the dimensions can make all the difference if you’re short on space.<\/p>\n

In this article, we’ll also look at how dimensions relate to energy density<\/a>. That’s bang for your buck for a given size, not dollars. How much energy can they pack into a home battery right now, and how small will they be in the future? And perhaps more importantly, does it matter?<\/p>\n

How Big Are Solar Batteries?<\/h2>\n

There are many battery types, varying capacities, and different form factors. We’ll have to narrow our focus to a particular capacity range and application to give a meaningful answer.<\/p>\n

For this article, let’s look at ten popular grid-tied, non-all-in-one lithium-ion batteries with a usable capacity range between approximately 10 kWh and 14 kWh. That way, we should be able to make a fair comparison to see how a few different models stack up against each other in terms of their space requirements and energy density.<\/p>\n

Sizing Up The Batteries<\/h2>\n

The batteries below have been selected from the SolarQuotes Battery Comparison Table<\/a>. First, listed from smallest through to largest capacity. Note that some of these are modular, where the sum of all battery modules equals the whole output. The Enphase IQ is not modular but listed twice (2 x 5 kWh) to bring the capacity in line with others being compared.<\/p>\n

Further in the comparison tables, there is a column for BMS (Battery Management System). Many batteries have the BMS built in so it’s already accounted for in the measurement. However, two batteries in the comparison have an external BMS, which should be counted. Note that BMS in this instance is used as a generic term. Some manufacturers have different names for their BMS such as ‘gateway’ or ‘controller’ etc1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n

\"bar<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Battery<\/b><\/th>\nUseable Capacity<\/b><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
SolarEdge Energy Bank<\/td>\n9.7 kWh<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Enphase IQ Battery 5P (x2)<\/td>\n10 kWh<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Huawei Luna 10 kWh<\/td>\n10 kWh<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Jinko Suntank 12.8 kWh<\/td>\n11.5 kWh<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
LG Chem RESU 12<\/td>\n11.7 kWh<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Redback Smart Battery SB14200<\/td>\n12.8 kWh<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sungrow SBR HV 12.8 kWh<\/td>\n12.8 kWh<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
GoodWe Lynx Home F Series LXF13.1-H<\/td>\n13.1 kWh<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tesla Powerwall 2<\/td>\n13.5 kWh<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
BYD Battery Box Premium HVM 13.8<\/td>\n13.8 kWh<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

Depth<\/h3>\n

If you have limited floor space or prefer a battery that doesn’t protrude too much, the following dimensions will interest you. Here are the same batteries, with depths listed from shallowest to deepest.<\/p>\n

\"bar<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Battery<\/b><\/th>\nBattery Depth<\/b><\/th>\nBMS Depth<\/b><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Tesla Powerwall 2<\/td>\n147 mm<\/td>\n149 mm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Huawei Luna 10 kWh<\/td>\n150 mm<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Enphase IQ Battery 5P (x2)<\/td>\n188 mm<\/td>\n158 mm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
LG Chem RESU 12<\/td>\n227 mm<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
SolarEdge Energy Bank<\/td>\n250 mm<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Jinko Suntank 12.8 kWh<\/td>\n260 mm<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
BYD Battery Box Premium HVM 13.8<\/td>\n298 mm<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sungrow SBR HV 12.8 kWh<\/td>\n330 mm<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Redback Smart Battery SB14200<\/td>\n370 mm<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
GoodWe Lynx Home F Series LXF13.1-H<\/td>\n380 mm<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Tesla

The Tesla Powerwall 2 dimensions – the shallowest battery in this comparison.<\/p><\/div>\n

Wall Area (Height x Width)<\/h3>\n

Maybe it’s wall space you’re short on. Plenty of other things might compete for wall space, such as storage and shelving, doors and windows, and existing wall-mounted appliances. In the following table, the batteries are now listed in order from smallest to largest two-dimensional area on the vertical plane (wall).<\/p>\n

Also – Australian battery location<\/a> regulations (aka Australian Standard AS5139) prohibit batteries within 600mm of a window or ‘non-associated’ equipment – substantially reducing usable wall space.<\/p>\n

The Tesla Powerwall should be highlighted for its ability to use wall space efficiently. Up to three Powerwalls can be stacked together, positioned perpendicular to the wall, allowing for a total storage capacity of 40.5 kWh using no more wall area than a single Powerwall.<\/p>\n

\"bar<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Battery<\/b><\/th>\nBattery Area<\/b><\/th>\nBMS Area<\/b><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
LG Chem RESU 12<\/td>\n0.28 m2<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sungrow SBR HV 12.8 kWh<\/td>\n0.42 m2<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
GoodWe Lynx Home F Series LXF13.1-H<\/td>\n0.55 m2<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Jinko Suntank 12.8 kWh<\/td>\n0.59 m2<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Huawei Luna 10 kWh<\/td>\n0.64 m2<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
BYD Battery Box Premium HVM 13.8<\/td>\n0.83 m2<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Redback Smart Battery SB14200<\/td>\n0.86 m2<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tesla Powerwall 2<\/td>\n0.87 m2<\/td>\n0.27 m2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
SolarEdge Energy Bank<\/td>\n0.93 m2<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Enphase IQ Battery 5P (x2)<\/td>\n1.78 m2<\/td>\n0.38 m2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"LG

The LG Chem Resu 12 doesn’t take up much wall space. I wonder if that’s the whole story?<\/p><\/div>\n

Volume<\/h3>\n

To get a true indication of how much space a battery will take up, we could look at the overall volume by combining the above tables. (Volume (m3) = height x width x depth). Here they are listed from smallest to largest, measured in cubic metres.<\/p>\n

\"bar<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Battery<\/b><\/th>\nBattery Volume<\/b><\/th>\nBMS Volume<\/b><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
LG Chem RESU 12<\/td>\n0.07 m3<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Huawei Luna 10 kWh<\/td>\n0.10 m3<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tesla Powerwall 2<\/td>\n0.13 m3<\/td>\n0.04 m3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sungrow SBR HV 12.8 kWh<\/td>\n0.14 m3<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Jinko Suntank 12.8 kWh<\/td>\n0.15 m3<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Enphase IQ Battery 5P (x2)<\/td>\n0.20 m3<\/td>\n0.06 m3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
GoodWe Lynx Home F Series LXF13.1-H<\/td>\n0.21 m3<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
SolarEdge Energy Bank<\/td>\n0.23 m3<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
BYD Battery Box Premium HVM 13.8<\/td>\n0.25 m3<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Redback Smart Battery SB14200<\/td>\n0.32 m3<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Redback

At a third of a cubic metre, the Redback Smart Battery SB14200 sure takes up a lot of space!<\/p><\/div>\n

Dimensions<\/h3>\n

And here is the same table as above, this time with the actual dimensions given, rather than the three-dimensional volume. A clearer picture of the physical battery size should now be emerging. Knowing these dimensions can help you visualize the likely aesthetics, ensuring the battery doesn’t overwhelm the space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Battery<\/b><\/th>\nBattery Dimensions H x W x D<\/b><\/th>\nBMS Dimensions H x W x D<\/b><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
LG Chem RESU 12<\/td>\n626 x 452 x 227 mm<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Huawei Luna 10 kWh<\/td>\n960 x 670 x 150 mm<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tesla Powerwall 2<\/td>\n1150 x 753 x 147 mm<\/td>\n660 x 411 x 149 mm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
SunGrow SBR HV 12.8 kWh<\/td>\n675 x 625 x 330 mm<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Jinko Suntank 12.8 kWh<\/td>\n909 x 650 x 250 mm<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Enphase IQ Battery 5P (x2)<\/td>\n980 x 550 x 188 mm (x2)<\/td>\n760 x 500 x 158 mm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Goodwe Lynx Home F Series LXF13.1-H<\/td>\n920 x 600 x 380 mm<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
SolarEdge Energy Bank<\/td>\n1179 x 790 x 250 mm<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
BYD Battery Box Premium HVM 13.8<\/td>\n1411 x 585 x 298 mm<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Redback Smart Battery SB14200<\/td>\n1655 x 518 x 370 mm<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

Energy Density (Battery + BMS)<\/h3>\n

Energy density in a battery refers to the total amount of stored energy available relative to the volume it’s stored in. It’s sometimes confused with another important metric called specific energy, which is the total amount of stored energy available relative to its mass (kg).<\/p>\n

Energy density can be expressed in several ways. The following table uses the metric system to keep things in step with the previous comparisons, showing energy density as kilowatt-hours available per cubic metre of storage. Battery plus BMS are included.<\/p>\n

\"bar

The taller the bar, the more compact the battery.<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Battery<\/b><\/th>\nBattery + BMS Energy Density<\/b><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Enphase IQ Battery 5P (x2)<\/td>\n38.5 kWh\/m3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Redback Smart Battery SB14200<\/td>\n40 kWh\/m3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
SolarEdge Energy Bank<\/td>\n42.2 kWh\/m3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
BYD Battery Box Premium HVM 13.8<\/td>\n55.2 kWh\/m3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
GoodWe Lynx Home F Series LXF13.1-H<\/td>\n62.4 kWh\/m3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Jinko Suntank 12.8 kWh<\/td>\n76.6 kWh\/m3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tesla Powerwall 2<\/td>\n79.4 kWh\/m3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sungrow SBR HV 12.8 kWh<\/td>\n98.5 kWh\/m3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Huawei Luna 10 kWh<\/td>\n100 kWh\/m3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
LG Chem RESU 12<\/td>\n167 kWh\/m3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Battery

Top: The lowest energy density battery\/s in our comparison – Enphase IQ Battery 5P (x2) + BMS (10 kWh). Bottom: The highest energy density model in our comparison – LG Chem RESU 12 (11.7 kWh). Drawn to scale!<\/p><\/div>\n

The New Enphase Battery Is Huge<\/h2>\n

Enphase is the loser in this battery energy density competition. The company recently released a publicity shot that will give you a feel for how big their 10 kWh battery is. I’m not sure how many Australians can fit even one of these in their homes.<\/p>\n

\n

How does the new IQ Battery 10T differ from the IQ Battery 10?#SolarSurge<\/a>'s Joe Ordia talks with Enphase's Mohammad Alkuran about the IQ Battery 10T's sleeker design and mechanical improvements, in a hands-on review at #Enphase<\/a> HQ in Fremont, CA: https:\/\/t.co\/VsZaMIIiYL<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/4bSAfFMQ9Q<\/a><\/p>\n

— Enphase Energy (@Enphase) August 10, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n