LG ESS Home 8 or Enphase Encharge 10: Which One Should You Choose?
For residential solar and wind energy users, having a home energy storage system (ESS) can reduce dependency on utility companies and provide backup during emergencies. An ESS can make your switch to solar energy efficient and help you save on bills.
Both LG and Enphase offer home energy storage systems as a part of their catalog of solar solutions.
But who wins the LG ESS vs. Encharge battle? Let’s find out:
LG ESS Home 8: A Brief Overview
LG launched its all-in-one Home 8 energy storage solution in September this year.
The model combines a single 7.5kW inverter with a lithium-ion phosphate (LFP) battery that can store 15.8kWh of energy. But here’s the impressive part: you can use your LG chem battery storage to store power from your PV module and your utility grid.
With a round trip efficiency of 90%, the ESS gives you 14.4kWh of usable energy. It not only provides 24/7 protection against outages, but the Home 8’s off-grid tech also offers on-demand energy whenever you need it.
It charges itself at peak daytime hours when electricity usage is at its lowest. Even if your PV module is not working, you’ll still have enough LG battery backup to power you
It charges itself at peak daytime hours when electricity usage is at its lowest. Even if your PV module is not working, you’ll still have enough LG battery backup to power your home.
You can remain energy-independent, even during a natural calamity.
It also seamlessly integrates with the brand’s other Smart home appliances. You can even connect it to your HVAC system and other electronics.
The Home 8 model is highly durable and resistant to earthquakes (seismic zone 4 vibrations, per IEEE 693).
LG does not disappoint when it promises to give you total control over your home energy consumption.
Choose LG ESS Home 8 if: you are looking for an integrated solar solution that merges seamlessly with your Smart home.
Enphase Encharge 10: A Brief Overview
Enphase Encharge batteries have been around since 2020. Like the LG ESS Home 8, it is also an all-in-one energy storage system for residential use.
Together with the Enphase IQ series microinverters, it can form a microgrid of its own. So, Enphase solar batteries can work even when the grid fails, powering your home for days. Even better, the setup has multiple microinverters, so a partial failure of any component hardly affects its overall efficiency.
Come rain, storm, or sunshine. Enphase Encharge can power your home uninterrupted for days.
You can use the Encharge 10 model with new and retrofitted solar solutions. It allows you to upgrade your PV module without changing the battery backup.
Choose Enphase Encharge 10 if: you want a tried and tested reliable home energy storage solution that delivers on its promise.
Home 8 vs. Encharge 10: A Technical Comparison
From a technical point of view, choosing a winner in this home battery comparison is difficult. Both LG and Enphase offer state-of-the-art energy storage systems to complement your solar system installation.
However, the devil lies in the details, including:
Performance
Both the LG ESS Home 8 and Enphase Encharge 10 run on lithium iron phosphate batteries. These batteries have long life cycles and are ideal for prolonged use.
The Enphase batteries are compatible with any grid-tied solar system, old or new. On the other hand, you can use the Home 8 with your solar PV module or connect it to four different AC units. So it’s highly versatile.
But, Encharge’s AC-coupled home energy monitoring system has an exemplary round trip efficiency of 96%. It beats LG by a 6% margin. You lose less energy in the Encharge 10 model than you do in LG. So, even though LG has a higher usable energy capacity at 14.4 kWh, you get better output from Enphase 10.
The Encharge battery is capable of full-home power storage, just like LG.
Monitoring
You can use the Enlighten platform to monitor the performance of your Encharge battery. Its Enpower Smart Switch automatically detects power outages to seamlessly switch between on-grid, off-grid, solar, or backup modes.
LG comes with a ThinQ app which lets you monitor your ESS’s performance. You can schedule its usage on the app to maximize your home energy system’s operational efficiency.
A sleek digital LED display shows you the State of Charge (SOC) so you know how much energy is available in your solar panel installation setup at any time.
Scalability
Wondering how to control home energy costs? Ensure your home energy storage system is scalable. The more energy you store, the less you consume from your utility provider, and the more you save.
Thankfully, both the Home 8 and Encharge 10 are scalable. You can stack 4 units of each model together to increase your ESS’s overall energy storage capacity.
Ease of Installation
At 341 lbs, Encharge 10 is lighter than the 364-pound Home 8, but the LG model appears more sleek. Both models are wall mountable and require two people for installation. The units are quite heavy, so exercise precautions to avoid injury.
Thanks to modular assembly, both models are fairly easy to install.
Cost
Affordability does play a key role in determining how good or bad solar installations are.
However, Enphase Encharge 10 and the Home 8 are priced similarly.
Warranty
These solar storage batteries have a limited warranty of 10 years or up to 4,000 cycles. Manufacturers guarantee a working capacity of at least 70% by the end of the warranty period, which is an industry-standard.
However, note that in the case of the LG Home 8, the warranty only holds if you use the ESS with the ThinQ app.
Latest LG solar panels
LG showcased the new V5 series of solar panels including the Neon 2, Neon 2 bifacial and Neon R which were some of the most efficient solar panels on display at InterSolar. The V5 cells boosted the output power ratings of the Neon 2 and Neon R panels to 355W and 380W respectively, while the Neon 2 bifacial jumped up to an impressive 400W. However possibly the most notable improvement was the new performance warranty with an impressive 90.8% retained power rating after 25 years putting it in the same league as SunPower but at a more competitive price point.
- Neon R. up to 375W – 21.7% efficiency
- Neon R Prime. up to 360W – 20.8% efficiency
- Neon 2. up to 355W – 20.7% efficiency
- Neon 2 Black. up to 340W – 19.8% efficiency
LG home energy storage system ESS
Following on from the first LG home 5 ESS revealed at all-energy expo in 2018, LG showcased two new more powerful home energy storage systems (ESS) including single and 3-phase variants along with two DC coupled lithium battery options. Due for release early-mid 2020.
The LG home energy storage options now include two high-powered Home 8 and Home 10 hybrid inverters rated at 8kVA and 10kVA respectively. These powerful three-phase inverters have an impressive 3 MPPT (tracker) inputs with up to 6kW per MPPT for the Home 8 (max 12kW total PV) and up to 7.5kW per MPPT on the larger Home 10 system (max 13.5kW PV). The new high power inverter ratings are well suited to modern (3-phase) all-electric homes with increased energy consumption and would be suitable for future proofing a home and charging an electric vehicle.
LG ESS Home Hybrid Inverters. PCS
- LG ESS Home 8. Output power 8kVA. Max PV 12kW
- LG ESS Home 10. Output power 10kVA. Max PV 13.5kW
The new LG batteries appear to be a repackaged and more polished (literally) version of the popular LG chem RESU battery systems which have been on the market for several years. The specifications are almost identical to the higher voltage LG chem RESU-H batteries but able to be coupled together for extra capacity without an additional combiner box. Up to two batteries can be combined providing a maximum usable storage capacity of 18.6kWh using two of the larger LG HB 10H battery modules. Also like the RESU any combination of battery sizes will work.
LG DC coupled Lithium-Ion batteries
- LG HB 7H Battery – Max usable capacity 6.6kWh
- LG HB 10H Battery – Max usable capacity 9.3kWh
The Home ESS is also capable of providing backup power in the event of a blackout with an optional backup power unit (ATS). The full details such as transfer time are yet to be released but going by the spec sheet the backup ratings will be 5kVA using a single battery or 7kVA if using 2 batteries combined.
See attached LG Home ESS specification sheet for more details
Warranty on both the hybrid Inverter (PCS) and battery is 10 years with the battery guaranteed to maintain at least a 80% SOH (state of health) after 10 year’s of use. Using the SOH rating is a little usual as typically manufacturers will specify a certain amount of retained capacity. For instance the LG Chem RESU batteries have a minimum retained capacity of 60% after 10 years so we can assume this new battery will be similar. We will update this once the full details are available.
Overall the LG ESS appears to be a very well designed and powerful system although the hybrid inverter or PCS (power conversion system) as it is referred to by LG is only IP21 rated meaning it must be installed indoors or in a well-protected area. The battery however is IP55 rated meaning it can be outdoors but like all batteries it should be semi-protected and not exposed to direct sunlight.
LG Home Energy Management System
To tie the new suite of products together LG also launched the new ‘Smart’ home energy management system designed to optimise self-consumption of solar using Smart controls and appliances including the new LG Therma V heat pump and ATW or Air to water heat pump. This complete energy generation and control system will be monitored through a new online portal which also features remote firmware upgrades and easy system setup via the ‘EnerVu’ mobile app. It appears EV charging features will also be included but we’ll need to wait for the full details to be released.
LG Solar Car roof
A finally the biggest surprise was a completely new product aimed at the rapidly growing Electric Vehicle market. The solar car roof variants on display featured either Neon 2 CELLO cells rated at 200W and Neon R IBC cells rating at 300W.
See more articles from Clean Energy Reviews
Hanwha announces comprehensive battery partnership with LG Energy Solution
SEOUL, South Korea. Jan. 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/.- Hanwha Group and LG Energy Solution today announced they will invest in building battery production facilities in the United States. The joint investment will pave the way for Hanwha to lead the rapidly-growing energy storage market and future Urban Air Mobility business.
The two companies signed a memorandum of understanding in Seoul for comprehensive battery business cooperation for ESS and other clean-tech energy solutions. The MOU was signed by LGES and three subsidiaries under Hanwha Group. Hanwha Solutions, owner of clean energy manufacturer Qcells, Hanwha Corporation/Momentum and Hanwha Aerospace.
The joint investment is expected to boost battery supply resiliency for the US market amid the growing need for American-made Energy Storage System following the passage of Inflation Reduction Act. The two companies will also pursue technology cooperation for developing advanced ESS solutions tailored for commercial, industrial and utility market. They include enclosure, heat management and other balance of system.
Hanwha Solutions owns Qcells, the biggest silicon-based solar manufacturer in the United States. Being the only company to establish a complete solar supply chain in the United States. Qcells leads the country’s clean energy transition. Already being a market leader in the module manufacturing business, Qcells intends to become a top-tier solar and energy storage developer and EPC provider in the US by securing stable batter supply as well as procuring the competitive product solutions.
With the MoU, LGES has now secured another stable market demand in the mid- to long-term in the U.S. clean energy market where the fastest growth is expected, and thereby established a solid growth platform by reinforcing its well-balanced business portfolio of three sectors: advanced automotive batteries, mobility IT batteries, and ESS batteries.
In 2022, LGES advanced into the field of ESS System Integration by establishing a new corporation, LG Energy Solution Vertech. Inc., which offers customers a streamlined approach to energy storage system integration and a secure battery supply chain through LGES.
The other Hanwha subsidiaries. Hanwha Corporation/Momentum and Hanwha Aerospace. will also participate in battery cooperation with LGES. Hanwha Aerospace is a leading aerospace and defense company manufacturing rocket engine, satellites technology. Hanwha Corporation/Momentum is an automation engineering company providing manufacturing facilities for batteries, solar panels and display.
Hanwha Momentum will seek to supply key battery manufacturing facilities for LGES, which is constructing joint battery factories with global automakers such as GM, Stellantis and Honda. Its existing factories in Korea, Poland and Michigan are also scheduled to expand. Hanwha Aerospace is also planning to work with LGES to develop special-purpose batteries for Urban Air Mobility.
We have decided to collaborate with LG Energy Solution, which has several large-scale manufacturing facilities being constructed in U.S., to target the U.S. ESS market boasting fast growth thanks to green energy policies, said Hanwha Group. Our aim is to maximize synergy at home and abroad by promoting partnerships in various fields, such as supplying battery manufacturing equipment and developing special-purpose batteries.
Our partnership with Hanwha Group is expected to take the competitiveness of each company’s battery-related businesses a step further, said LG Energy Solution. By signing this MoU with leading, like-minded energy companies, we put ourselves in the best possible position to successfully expand the influence of our solar and ESS businesses in the U.S., and we will do our very best to provide customers with comprehensive green energy solutions.
PRN Top Stories Newsletters
By signing up you agree to receive content from us. Our newsletters contain tracking pixels to help us deliver unique content based on each subscriber’s engagement and interests. For more information on how we will use your data to ensure we send you relevant content please visit our PRN Consumer Newsletter Privacy Notice. You can withdraw your consent at any time in the footer of every email you’ll receive. Mit Ihrer Anmeldung erklären Sie sich damit einverstanden, Inhalte von uns zu erhalten. Unsere Newsletter enthalten Zählpixel, die die Lieferung einzigartiger Inhalte in Bezug auf das Abonnement und die Interessen der einzelnen Abonnenten ermöglichen. Weitere Informationen über die Verwendung Ihrer Daten im Hinblick auf die Zusendung von relevanten Inhalten, finden Sie in unserer PRN Consumer Newsletter Privacy Notice. Ihre Zustimmung können Sie jederzeit in der Fußzeile jeder erhaltenen E-Mail widerrufen. En vous inscrivant à la newsletter, vous consentez à la réception de contenus de notre part. Notre newsletter contient des pixels espions nous permettant la fourniture à chaque abonné, d’un contenu unique en lien avec ses souscriptions et intérêts. Pour de plus amples informations sur l’utilisation faite de vos données en vue de l’envoi des contenus concernés, nous vous invitons à consulter la politique de confidentialité disponible à partir du lien suivant PRN Consumer Newsletter Privacy Notice. Vous pouvez à tout moment revenir sur votre consentement par le biais des informations situées au bas de chaque e-mail reçu. Регистрирайки се, Вие се съгласявате да получавате информационно съдържание от нас. Нашите бюлетини съдържат проследяващи пиксели, които ни помагат да предоставяме уникално съдържание въз основа на ангажираността и интересите на всеки абонат. За повече информация относно начина, по който ще използваме Вашите данни, за да гарантираме, че Ви изпращаме подходящо съдържание, моля, направете справка с нашето Уведомление за поверителност на потребителския бюлетин на PRN. Можете да оттеглите съгласието си по всяко време в долния колонтитул на всеки от имейлите, които ще получите.
LG Home 8 Residential Energy Storage System Debuts
LG Home 8 ESS combines advanced inverter battery in single unit, capable of Smart home integration, to manage energy, deliver backup power and reduce grid dependence.
The new LG Home 8 Energy Storage System (ESS) features a modular assembly with parts that are stackable, easy to commission, install and replace, according to the company.
LG Home 8 Residential Energy Storage System Debuts
Residential energy storage systems have been a growing opportunity for CE pros, and another big name is providing an attractive option in the category. LG Electronics has introduced the Home 8 residential energy storage system (ESS), a new all-in-one solution that the company says will enable U.S. homeowners to manage energy, provide backup power and reduce dependence on the electric grid.
The LG Home 8 ESS was unveiled at the 2022 RE (formerly SPI) trade show in Anaheim, Calif., this week, where LG Electronics USA also is demonstrating a LG commercial ESS version for the U.S. market.
CE Pro tabbed the Smart energy storage and management category as one of the five top tech opportunities for custom integrators in 2022, based in part because of some bigger names entering the fray.
LG’s Home 8 energy storage system combines an advanced inverter and battery in a single unit that is floor standing, and wall supported to provide an organized, streamlined installation, according to the company. Its 7.5kW inverter/charger provides a total capacity of 14.4kWh of usable on-demand energy and is stackable up to four units, which in combination allows up to 57.6kWh of usable energy.
Customers who do not have a solar PV system and have a Time of Use plan can still use Home 8, LG says. The ESS can be used independently from the grid and can charge during the daytime when electricity are lower. Home 8 can then be utilized during peak consumption hours when increase. In preparation for potential natural disasters and power outages, Home 8 can store energy in advance for later use.
A Transition into Landscape Lighting
Landscape and architectural lighting create a magical and elegant ambiance for homeowners. The outdoor lighting industry has always been a phenomenal one and continues to grow in popularity. Now is the ideal time to learn more about this rapidly growing and highly profitable industry. Join our panel of esteemed lighting experts that will dive into why it’s time for integrators to rethink their role in the outdoor lighting industry. Register Now!
An LED display on the front of the system allows owners to check the estimated battery state of charge (SoC) and encourages mindfulness of electricity use during power outages.
Additionally, the company notes Home 8 is an integrated system that can be incorporated into a complete Smart home environment with LG home appliances, consumer electronics and HVAC systems, all while maintaining compatibility with non-LG products.
When Home 8 is managed by LG’s ThinQ monitoring and control app, homeowners can delegate how, where and when the unit is used to maximize efficiency, giving homeowners the ability to achieve pure independence from the grid, and providing them with better control in managing their home energy needs.
At a glance, here are key benefits the new energy storage system from LG offers customers and integrators, the company points out.
LG Home 8 ESS Provides Homeowners:
If you enjoyed this article and want to receive more valuable industry content like this, click here to sign up for our digital newsletters!
Will my Brightbox battery allow me to go off grid?
Our rechargeable solar battery systems are designed to keep you on-grid during normal service times while still providing reliable backup when the sun isn’t shining or during the event of an outage. This is the most reliable and economical way to use your Brightbox system, and the one most strongly recommended by Sunrun’s service experts.
Just like solar-only systems, the size of your rechargeable solar battery system is determined by your unique energy needs and habits. Factors, such as the amount of electricity you use at home and the devices and appliances you want to back up, will play a key role as you select the right battery storage solution for you.
Is my Brightbox battery an IoT (internet of things) device?
While Brightbox requires an Internet or cellular connection to monitor your energy storage and usage efficiently, it can still operate without it. If for some reason Brightbox happens to go offline, you can resume your usage tracking when your internet connection is back to normal.
Most residential batteries are installed and configured with baseline settings by your solar installer. Solar batteries last anywhere between 10 and 15 years, and manufacturers typically offer a 10-year warranty.
How does Brightbox work?
Brightbox allows you to store the electricity your solar energy system produces during the day and use it when you need it most—such as in the evening during time of use (TOU) peak pricing or when the electric grid fails due to an extreme weather event or physical damage to the equipment.
Brightbox is a holistic solar battery storage service that offers you clean, safe, reliable, back-up power to have better control over your home energy use and cost.