There are four considerations when setting up battery storage for solar energy at home. First, only purchase sufficient batteries for your immediate needs, or you will end up creating more waste. Then, re-purpose old batteries by re-using or selling them afterwards. Thirdly, always recycle tired batteries whenever you can. And finally, take those three aspects into account when deciding which battery is better for you.
Consider Recycling Before Deciding Which Battery Is Better
The two main battery types for storing home solar energy are lead acid, and various types of lithium chemistry. There’s an established system to recycle lead acid starter batteries for automobiles, and solar uses the same system. As a result, 98% to 99% of lead batteries recycle in the United States and Canada because the chemistry is straightforward.
However, lithium chemistry stores far more energy although you pay more for it too. Therefore do. your sums before deciding which battery is better for you. Lithium is a flammable material. Recyclers can’t mechanically separate the components as they do with lead-acid types. In fact, Solar Power World believes lithium battery recycling is seldom economic, although we know of exceptions.
The Gradual Evolution of Lithium Battery Recycling
Special precautions are necessary to avoid fires and small explosions that could injure technicians at recycling plants. The process starts with deep-freezing the lithium batteries with liquid nitrogen. This eliminates the possibility of combustion or explosion, Solar Power World explains.
Thereafter, two options present. Melt the battery in a furnace and recover base metals from the slag, although the lithium is too expensive to isolate. Alternatively, separate the compounds in the cathode chemically, in which case the lithium is recoverable. Only a very small portion of lithium recycles this way.
Homeowners face a dilemma when deciding which battery is better for them. Is the storage capacity more important after factoring in cost. Or is being able to recycle paramount? Green energy – at least in theory – should be totally renewable surely …
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