What types of home batteries are there?

There are different types of home batteries, which differ on four points: the battery type in the cells, the coupling with your solar panels, the way they connect and the setup. Those four choices are independent of each other. So one home battery can have LFP cells, be AC-coupled, plug into the wall socket and be expandable all at once.

Which battery types are used in a home battery?

A home battery contains one of these four battery types: lithium iron phosphate (LFP), NMC, sodium-ion or saltwater. Nearly all home batteries sold in the Netherlands today use lithium cells, and usually LFP.

You won't find lead-acid batteries in new home batteries anymore, because they're heavy and cope poorly with deep discharging. The battery type mainly determines the lifespan, the weight per kWh and the thermal stability.

LFP home battery as the standard

An LFP home battery is the standard: according to the NIPV, lithium-ion home batteries mainly use cells with lithium iron phosphate. LFP cells contain no cobalt or nickel and last thousands of charge cycles, which fits well with a battery that charges and discharges every day.

On the flip side, LFP stores less energy per kilo than NMC, which makes the battery a bit heavier for the same capacity. At TechPunt, the Zendure SolarFlow 2400 series and the Anker SOLIX Max series, among others, run on LFP.

NMC home battery on lithium-ion

An NMC home battery also runs on lithium-ion, but with a cathode made of nickel, manganese and cobalt. That combination has a higher energy density, which is why NMC is widely used in electric cars and was also used in older generations of home batteries.

For everyday storage at home, NMC has become less common, because the cells typically achieve fewer charge cycles than LFP and depend on scarce raw materials like cobalt.

Sodium-ion home battery

A sodium-ion battery uses sodium instead of lithium as the charge carrier. Sodium is widely available and the cells don't need lithium and require less cobalt and nickel, which means this type could become cheaper over time.

The energy density is usually lower than with LFP, so at the same capacity a sodium-ion battery often takes up more space. The first sodium-ion batteries for home use are being delivered in Europe as of 2026, but the choice is limited and TechPunt doesn't have them in its range yet.

Saltwater home battery

A saltwater battery stores power using a water-based electrolyte with salt dissolved in it. The liquid is non-flammable and the battery contains no heavy metals, which is why this type is considered safe and environmentally friendly.

There are clear downsides to this: a saltwater battery is heavy and bulky and delivers little power, so it can only run a few devices at the same time. For that reason, the range available in the Netherlands is small.

Which solar panel coupling does a home battery have?

A home battery has an AC coupling, a DC coupling or a hybrid coupling with your solar panels. Solar panels supply direct current (DC) and your home uses alternating current (AC). The difference between the couplings lies in the point where the battery pulls in the solar power: before or after the inverter of your panels.

AC-coupled home battery

An AC-coupled home battery connects to the alternating current grid in your home, after the inverter of your solar panels. The battery has its own inverter and therefore works with virtually any existing installation, including micro-inverters or optimizers.

That's why this is the common choice if you're looking for a home battery for solar panels that you add later on. The power does get converted one extra time, which costs slightly more energy than with a DC coupling. Examples include the Zendure SolarFlow 2400 AC+ and 1600 AC+ and the Anker SOLIX Solarbank Max AC.

DC-coupled home battery

A DC-coupled home battery stores the direct current from your panels before it's converted. The panels and battery share a single hybrid inverter, which means fewer conversions are needed and less energy is lost. The battery and inverter do have to be matched to each other, though. Usually an installer sets them up together, during a new installation or when the old inverter is due for replacement.

Hybrid home battery with its own solar input

A hybrid home battery has the hybrid inverter built right in, with its own solar input as well as a connection to the AC grid. You connect the panels directly to the battery's MPPT inputs, controllers that keep your panels running at their optimal operating point. The battery then delivers the power to your home as alternating current, taking over the role of the inverter.

The Zendure SolarFlow 2400 Pro has four MPPT inputs and the Anker SOLIX Solarbank Max has three. This type doesn't work with microinverters, because those already convert the power to alternating current at the panel. Optimizers aren't a fit either, because they only work with the inverter from their own manufacturer.

Is your home battery plugged in or hardwired?

Your home battery is plugged into a regular wall socket or hardwired into the fuse box. That choice mainly determines how much power the battery can deliver to your home and whether you need an electrician.

Plug-in home battery

You plug a plug-in home battery into the wall socket yourself, without any changes to your electrical installation. According to the NIPV, such a battery may deliver a maximum of 800 watts per socket, and multiple plug-in batteries require their own circuit rather than a power strip.

Models that can technically handle more, like the Zendure SolarFlow 2400 Pro, are set to 800 watts by default. That makes a plug-in home battery the easy, low-threshold way to get started with storage.

Fixed home battery

A fixed home battery is connected by an electrician to its own circuit in the fuse box. The battery can then deliver more power than through a wall socket, which is handy if you draw a lot of electricity at once in the evening, for example for an induction hob.

Fixed systems usually hang on the wall in a garage, shed or basement. Some plug-in models can also be hardwired: the Anker SOLIX Solarbank Max AC then charges and discharges at up to 3,500 watts.

Is your home battery built all-in-one or modular?

Your home battery is built all-in-one when the battery, inverter and control all sit in one housing, and modular when you expand the capacity with separate batteries. The two aren't mutually exclusive. The Zendure SolarFlow 2400 AC+, for example, is a complete 2.4 kWh unit that you can expand with extra batteries up to 16.8 kWh.

All-in-one home battery

With an all-in-one home battery you don't need to combine a separate inverter or controller, because everything is already in the unit. That saves on cables, wall space and the hassle of figuring out which parts go together. If you want more storage later, check whether the model is expandable, because otherwise you'll need a second unit.

Modular home battery

A modular home battery consists of a main unit to which you add expansion batteries. You start with the capacity you need now and expand as your usage grows, for example with a heat pump or an electric car.

Those batteries only fit the main units the manufacturer designed them for, such as the Zendure AB2000 and AB3000 batteries or the Anker SOLIX BP5000 and BP7000. You'll find an overview of expandable systems at the modular home batteries.

Which type of home battery suits your situation?

Which type of home battery suits your situation depends mainly on your solar panels and on how much you want to change in the meter cupboard. These combinations are the most common:

• Existing solar panels: an AC-coupled home battery alongside your current inverter.
• New panels or an inverter due for replacement: a hybrid home battery with its own solar input.
• Rental home or apartment: a plug-in home battery.
• Need high power: a fixed home battery.
• Growing usage: a modular home battery.
• No solar panels: a battery that charges during cheap hours with a dynamic energy contract, in other words a home battery without solar panels.

The type says nothing about the capacity yet. To find out how many kWh suit your usage, read the blog on which home battery you need.

Choosing your type of home battery at TechPunt

At TechPunt you choose your type of home battery from AC-coupled, hybrid, plug-in and modular models by Zendure and Anker SOLIX. Everything ships from our own warehouse in Barneveld, with a 2-year warranty on every product.

Not sure which type fits your setup? Ask your question by phone, email or WhatsApp, and we'll help you figure it out.