NMC Vs LFP, Which One Is Better for Solar Battery
☆ Performance → Winner: BothIn general, the overall performance of NMC and LFP batteries are pretty much the same. You can find both types in a variety of sizes, from as little as 3 kWh to over 20 kWh. Most homeowners only need around 10 kWh of storage, which you are sure to find from both types.
With that said, there are some slight differences between the two. LFPs are slightly more efficient and can operate a little better when the state of charge is low compared to NMCs, but NMCs can better withstand colder temperatures. However, you probably won’t have to worry about this if your battery is installed inside, or if your area doesn’t experience significant temperature extremes.
☆ Lifespan → Winner: LFP
LFP has a cycle life of over 3000 cycles, but NCM has a cycle life of 500-1000 cycles.
A cheap, poorly made LFP battery might not outlast a high-quality NMC battery. But you're probably not going to come across many shoddy batteries, so long as you choose a pray for installer.
☆ Safety → Winner: LFP
One of the biggest benefits of choosing an LFP battery is its safety. The combination of lithium iron phosphate is more stable than nickel manganese cobalt at higher temperatures.
Plus, LFP batteries can better handle larger draws of power. Because of this, lfpbattery are less likely to experience thermal runaway. To make it short, LFP batteries are less likely to catch on fire than NMC batteries.
This isn’t to say that if you install an NMC battery it is going to spontaneously combust. But, if an NMC battery experiences too much stress or is handled improperly, there’s a higher chance of things going awry. This is why it’s important to use a licensed, trusted installer for your battery to minimize any chances of things going wrong.
☆ Upfront cost → Winner: NMC
NMC batteries tend to be just a little bit cheaper than LFP batteries. This mostly has to do with economies of scale - NMC batteries are more prevalent here in the U.S., so their prices are a bit lower.
The cost difference between NMC and LFPs is definitely more of a factor when it comes to larger-scale projects. For home solar, you can usually find both types of chemistry in the same ballpark.
☆ Value → Winner: LFP
We did just say that NMC batteries cost less upfront, however, LFP batteries come out on top because of their longer lifespan.
you can get almost twice as much use from the LFP as you can from the NMC, so the extra money you'll spend upfront is worth it. Not only that, but you get some peace of mind knowing how safe LFPs are, all without having to sacrifice performance.
☆ And the winner is… ↓ ↓ ↓
Based on the overall value, we would recommend looking into LFP batteries for your solar storage system. LFP batteries last longer, have better safety ratings, and perform just as well as NMC batteries on most metrics.