OUR EXPERIENCE
A few years ago, my wife and I bought two Yeti 3000 batteries for $3,000 each.
Since then more ethical options have become available (see below).
We chose the Yeti batteries partly because they’re portable - no installation needed. Just roll them out of the box and plug them in.
We only wanted essential back-up, but air conditioners (in a heat wave) and sump pumps
(for low-level flooding) need a big surge of electricity to start, so we got two batteries.
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SOLAR PANELS PLUS BATTERY BACK-UP
Grid-tied [rooftop solar] systems must be shut off during a blackout, but an inverter from SMA will allow electricity to flow from the panels after being disconnected from the grid.
Here's how it works: when the electrical grid goes down,
we flip a handle, push a button (see photo), and plug in our priority stuff ... if the sun is up.
At night, we use the batteries to get electricity. We can also plug items into the EV battery.
After dawn we can recharge the batteries with the solar panels ... unless it's raining! :-}
When we tested one of the batteries, it kept an older fridge/freezer going for 48 hrs.
In a longer blackout, we’ll have to ration electricity, but at least we'll have some.
During the 1989 World Series earthquake, the blackout lasted a couple of days.
“Will batteries keep your [AC] cranking and [your EV] charged up during an extended blackout? Probably not.”
"Typical battery backup systems work best when they ... ration battery capacity."
ETHICAL / ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS
Those two Yeti batteries I purchased contain nickel and cobalt. I wouldn't buy them today. Mining consequences include:
Nickel mining problems - The nickel mining town of Norilsk in Russia is "one of the most polluted places on Earth."
Cobalt mining problems - "a familiar cycle of exploitation, greed and gamesmanship."
Lithium has fewer such problems - but “as with any resource extraction, there are environmental consequences."
Photos - the city of Norlisk; and a gold mine in Australia
BATTERY BASICS
lithium/Nickel/Manganese/Cobalt (NMC) vs. Lithium/Ferrum(iron)/Phosphate (LFP):
"Lithium iron phosphate batteries ... are safer."
"LFP's are less toxic ... to summarize: LFP batteries are ... better for the environment, and offer a longer lifespan."
"LFP cells were 32% cheaper than ... (NMC) cells in 2023."
Many EV's in China have LFP batteries - not so in the USA. NMC batteries have been widely deployed because they provide longer range for EVs. This may change. Chevrolet & Ford have considered using LFP batteries.
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BATTERY RECYCLING may hold promise:
“Millions of EV’s batteries need an end of life solution.”
Recycling research is ongoing.
Click here for “How to Recycle single-use Batteries”.
