If you’re in the market for a home battery, you might be suffering from a bit of sticker shock: Most home batteries come with a $10,000 to $20,000 price tag. You might not even need the massive amount of energy storage capacity that some of these batteries come with.
But going all in on a big home battery isn’t your only option. Modular home battery systems let you start with the capacity you want and allow you to add smaller chunks of power as your energy storage needs evolve. They might even save you money on the cost of installation.
“They’re basically like Legos,” Beau Tyrrel, a product training manager at Geneverse Energy, a battery company, told CNET.
These stackable batteries have other benefits too, beyond their flexible capacity options. These systems also tend to be easier to install and repair. Here’s what you need to know.
What is a modular home battery?
Conventional home batteries come packaged as one big unit. Think of a Tesla Powerwall. It’s designed to store a large amount of energy (13. This may interest you : Renewable Energy Events: Uniting the World for a Sustainable Future.5 kWh), all boxed up in one massive lithium-ion battery. These batteries tend to be extremely heavy as well, weighing hundreds of pounds. The Tesla Powerwall 3 in particular, weighs just under 300 pounds.
Modular batteries, by contrast, have more of a building block-type design. Instead of one massive battery, you have several small batteries connected to each other, combining power and capacity to form a larger battery system. The Bluetti EP900 Home Battery, for example, consists of multiple 5 kWh batteries that are bundled together to function as one unit.
Modularity makes a big difference in a home battery installation, affecting the price, installation process and energy storage capacity of your system. It allows you to customize the installation for your home’s immediate energy needs and keeps your battery system flexible as those needs change over time.
Considering Solar Panels? Our email course will walk you through how to go solar
The benefits of a modular battery
A modular home battery has many advantages over traditional non-modular systems. They’re lighter, cheaper and can be safer for installers. This may interest you : Hong Kong finance fast tracks 1.9 GW battery, solar portfolio in Australia – pv magazine Australia. Here are a few of the biggest benefits of modular home batteries.
Flexible energy storage capacity
A lot of home batteries are somewhere in the 10 kWh to 15 kWh range, which is pretty standard as far as capacity goes. But a capacity upgrade on a non-modular battery system can get pricey. If you find yourself needing more capacity, you’ll have to buy another giant 10 kWh to 15 kWh battery. With a modular system, you can simply install another small battery module.
Considering Solar Panels? Our email course will walk you through how to go solar
Modular batteries, which usually come in roughly 5 kWh chunks, allow for more flexibility. The battery system meets your energy needs where they are currently and allows for incremental capacity upgrades when needed. You could start out with just one or two 5 kWh modules, for example, and see how that works. You can always add another battery later if you need (and can afford) more juice.
The stackability of modular batteries also enables higher overall storage capacity. Many popular non-modular models top out at 15 kWh, whereas modular systems can go up to 20 kWh (made of four 5 kWh chunks) according to Tyrrel. “You can get more storage in a modular system,” he said.
This will benefit you over time, too. As your battery naturally degrades over the years, its storage capacity will get smaller. Kind of like how your phone’s battery has a harder time holding a charge as it ages. Instead of replacing the entire battery unit, you could simply add another battery module to bump up the capacity. “You can stick another battery stack right on top of it,” Tyrrel said.
Easier installation
When a battery comes in smaller, lighter sections, it’s much easier to carry and install. Non-modular batteries can weigh hundreds of pounds, making the installation a two or three person job. Modular batteries on the other hand, usually weigh less than 150 pounds, with each individual module usually weighing less than 50 pounds.
This might not initially matter to you as a homeowner, but it makes a big difference for installers. It makes it easier for you to tuck away your battery system in a tighter space because they’re easier to maneuver. You might even save money on labor costs.
It also decreases the risk of your installer getting hurt while lugging around a bigger battery unit. “Safety is a huge thing with the modular batteries,” Tyrrel said.
Redundancy
Most home batteries will last you years without issue, but sometimes they do fail or need repair. In the case of modular batteries, if one module goes down, the rest of your system can keep running.
“One section can fail and you’re still going,” Tyrrel said.
This redundancy makes your home battery more reliable. And it means you only have to replace one section of the battery, rather than the whole thing. This alone can save you a lot of money — potentially thousands of dollars.
Frequently asked questions
Can I install multiple batteries at once?
Yes, with a modular system you can start with one or two smaller battery modules, or you can install a large stack of multiple batteries all at once. Starting with a smaller system is a good way to get your feet wet if you’re not sure how much energy capacity you need.
How much energy can a home battery store?
There’s a pretty big range, but most home batteries fall in the 10 to 15 kWh range. Modular batteries can often be stacked up to 20 kWh, or more. To understand how much capacity you might need, you can start by looking up the power needs of your electronics or appliances. A reputable installer will be able to tell you exactly how much power and capacity your system might need. Some batteries also have smart panels that can help you track and understand your energy usage.