When it comes to solar battery energy storage, the suitability of the system mostly comes down to specifications with price as an important factor for many businesses. The issue with most of the current batteries whether they be Tesla, BYD, LG or similar, is the limited cycle-life. Normally, a battery will last between 5-7 years depending on its use.  This means that most batteries will never payback within their lifetime. Hence the need for long life batteries greater than a 15-year life span which is the subject of this article.

At SmartConsult, we compare three long life battery storage options: flywheels, Zinc8 and Zenon batteries. We hope our comparison of energy storage systems may help you determine which option may be best for your business.

Flywheels, Amber Kinetics

Introducing Flywheels from Amber Kinetics. These batteries which resemble giant mushrooms nested in the ground are designed with high power and medium duration capacity. The flywheel has been used as an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) system. The standard battery size is 32kWh duration with target discharge rate of 8kW. The flywheel will stay charged for many days before use with low degradation. Amber Kinetics have now installed reference sites here in Australia.

Widely used in the past, Amber Kinetics have since created a new spin for flywheel energy storage systems. Self-discharge losses are able to be reduced to the region of 1% loss within the first few hours, thanks to a combination of magnetic bearings, vacuum containment and other proprietary technologies and design features. These combine to make a storage technology that has some of the lowest cost per discharged kWh in the industry today. They last longer at up to 30 years design life, with no material degradation in efficiency level over the project life.

Zinc-Air, Zinc8

Zinc8 Zinc-Air Battery are a flow battery using zinc and air. They are the lowest cost of storage in the market for long-duration applications. This solution resolves intermittent and unpredictable nature of renewable energy sources while completely decoupling the linkage between power and energy.

With an extended battery life of around 25-years they use a liquid that can be stored without degradation. These batteries can be left fully charged for extended periods and not lose their charge which sets them apart from most batteries. These large 20kW and 40KW flow batteries will be introduced into Australia around September 2021 and can be ordered through SmartConsult.

Super Titan Lithium Titanium, Zenon Energy

The third battery option we will discuss is The Super Titan Lithium Titanium by Zenon Energy. These are the most compact of the three batteries with the highest energy density.

The disadvantage of these batteries is that they are more temperature sensitive than Zinc8 batteries and or Amber Kinetics Flywheels. For example, they need to be positioned in an air-conditioned, clean space.

For more information about energy storage options for your business, we would be happy to answer your questions, simply complete the call back form below or click here to contact us.