Techno-economic comparison of lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries in residential PV systems: A multi-location study of Abuja, Beijing, and Washington DC

Abstract

This study presents a comparative techno-economic assessment of residential solar photovoltaic (PV) systems integrated with lead-acid and lithium-ion battery storage across three representative global locations: Abuja (Nigeria), Beijing (China), and Washington D.C. (United States). PV system performance was simulated using PVsyst, while economic evaluation was conducted using life-cycle cost analysis over a 25-year project lifetime. The analysis incorporated location-specific solar resources, market-based component prices, and electricity tariffs, and evaluated system performance using capital expenditure (CAPEX), levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), net present value (NPV), and a weighted techno-economic performance index (WTPI). The results show that Abuja has the highest solar resource (GHI ≈ 2,042 kWh/m²/yr), followed by Beijing (1,564 kWh/m²/yr) and Washington D.C. (1,503 kWh/m²/yr). However, Beijing achieves the lowest LCOE (≈0.112–0.121 USD/kWh), outperforming Abuja (≈0.139–0.160 USD/kWh) and Washington D.C. (≈0.276–0.301 USD/kWh). The lead-acid system is economically viable in Abuja (NPV ≈ $384), while all systems in Beijing and Washington DC yield negative NPVs (down to ≈–$4,673 for Washington DC). Lead-acid systems outperform lithium-ion systems in Abuja and Beijing, whereas lithium-ion systems exhibit slightly better economic performance in Washington DC. Sensitivity analysis identifies discount rate as the most influential parameter affecting LCOE. Overall, the results demonstrate that PV–battery system performance is strongly location-dependent and driven more by market conditions than solar resource alone.