With this in mind, selecting the best battery is not straightforward as all battery systems need to be judged on a range of criteria, including:
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Compatibility – With inverters and existing systems
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Modularity – Scalable storage capacity (kWh)
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Power – Continous and peak power ratings
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Cycle life – capacity loss over time
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Warranty – Manufacturers warranted life
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Cost – Battery upfront cost
This might sound overwhelming, but luckily, we have done the hard work for you by performing our own comprehensive testing and gathering feedback from many experienced solar professionals to determine the best battery for each application.
Battery cost comparison
Home battery storage costs vary widely depending on the brand and battery capacity (kWh), costing between $650 and $1100 per kWh installed. For example, a typical 10kWh home battery, excluding inverter, will cost around $7000, plus installation. While an AC-coupled battery, such as the 13.5kWh Tesla Powerwall 2 or FranklinWH, will cost around $13,000, plus installation.
A complete rooftop solar and battery installation, including a 10kWh battery, compatible hybrid inverter and an 8 to 10kW solar array, would typically cost between $15,000 and $22,000, depending on the inverter size, solar panel brand and complexity. Battery prices vary significantly in different countries depending on the exchange rate. Australia is lucky to be one of the world leaders in home battery installations due to having access to a wide variety of affordable batteries from Asia, plus numerous options from Europe and North America.
For a detailed comparison of the upfront and operational costs of various lithium home batteries, see the in-depth analysis of the leading lithium battery systems in the detailed home battery storage review.
