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First solar hydrogen storage system as a power source for the home

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The security of supply is not always given with solar and wind power. The first hydrogen battery for private houses is supposed to solve this problem.


The conversion of the power supply to renewable sources such as wind and solar energy requires, due to their high volatility, storage systems that guarantee the security of supply in times of low production. On a large scale, this could be done for example via the recently introduced Underground Sun Conversion.


Homeowners with solar systems currently use lithium-based batteries such as Tesla's Power wall 2 (13.5 kWh) to store electricity. The Australian company Lavo has now presented the Green Energy Storage System (40 kWh), which generates hydrogen from excess solar energy during the day and converts it back into electricity at night using a fuel cell.


First hydrogen battery for homes


The Lavo Green Energy Storage System is the first hydrogen battery for private houses. The system weighs around 320 kg and is 1.70 m high and 1.20 m wide. The system is connected to a (hybrid) solar inverter and the house water pipe.


As soon as the solar system generates more electricity than the household consumes, the system electrolytes water. The water molecules release the bound oxygen and the hydrogen generated is stored in a metal hydride sponge at 435 psi (30 bar).


According to Lavo, the hydrogen battery has a service life that is twice as long as the Tesla Power wall 2. New fuel cells with a catalyst without carbon carriers could significantly increase the service life of hydrogen batteries in the future. In addition, the Green Energy Storage System is free of toxic chemicals and, with the exception of the buffer battery (5 kWh), does not contain lithium.


Green Energy Storage System allows parallel operation


The capacity of the Lavo Green Energy Storage System is enough for an average single-family house for around two days. Thanks to the possibility of parallel operation, the system can also supply larger households and companies with electricity and form an “intelligent virtual power plant”.


High conversion losses and low continuous output


Unfortunately, the Lavo Green Energy Storage System also has negative aspects. On the one hand, this is the efficiency, which is around 80 percent when hydrogen is generated by electrolysis. The efficiency of the subsequent conversion back into electricity is around 50 percent. Conventional batteries, on the other hand, have an efficiency of around 90 percent. In addition, the maximum continuous output of the Green Energy Storage System in individual operation is only 5 kW.


The Lavo Green Energy Storage System is also to be sold outside of Australia from the fourth quarter of 2021. The price should be less than 20,000 euros. Then there are the costs for the solar cells.