Finding the best deal in today's market can be tricky. There are so many options to choose from, all with their own perks and unique selling points.
Solar generators can range in price from $200 to over $10,000.
Generally, solar generators are priced based on their capacity, so a higher capacity will cost more than one with less capacity.
Well, this does make sense, other factors, such as total cycle life, should also play a role in the pricing structure, and unfortunately, it only sometimes does so.
Consumers are often blinded by lower upfront costs when choosing their solar generator, so they ignore the lower-rated lifecycle usage.
This article explains why that is a mistake and how you can use the Levelized cost of storage (LCOS) formula to get the best deal on your solar generator.
What Is LCOS?
The Levelized cost of storage or LCOS is the cost of electricity (in kWh) discharged from an energy storage device while considering all costs incurred based on the energy produced throughout the device's entire lifetime.
In other words, the LCOS of your solar generator is its actual cost.
For example, let's say you are considering buying two solar generators.
Solar generators a) and b).
Solar generator a) costs $1,000 upfront and has an energy capacity of 1000 Wh, while solar generator b) costs $799 and also has an energy capacity of 1000 Wh.
At first glance, which generator would you buy, a) or b)?
It is very likely that the vast majority of your selected solar generators b) and who wouldn't, of course you want to save on costs.
However, before you make your final decision, we urge you to calculate both solar generators' LCOS. Doing this will give you a better idea of the true costs.
How To Calculate LCOS?
Calculating your device's LCOS is pretty straightforward and can be done by doing the following.
First, you have to consider the total energy in kWh that the solar generator can store and release (a charge/discharge cycle) during its lifetime. Once you've done that, you divide the upfront cost by this value.
- Lifecycles x total capacity per cycle = total energy stored and released.
- Upfront cost ÷ total energy stored and released = LCOS
Let's put the above formula into a working example:
The BLUETTI AC200P has 2,000 Wh of storage capacity per charge/discharge cycle and has a total amount of 3500+ cycles.
3,500 x 2,000 Wh = 7000 kWh.
$1,399 ÷ 7,000 kWh = $0,199/kWh (LCOS)
(Please note that BLUETTI solar generators are rated in Wh. Therefore once you have completed step 1 of the formula, you will need to divide your result by 1000 to the kWh reading.)
LCOS Of BLUETTI Solar Generators
The LCOS is directly influenced by the battery chemistry of your solar generator. For the best LCOS you will to pick a solar generator that has the most charge/discharge lifecycles.
It is well known that the battery chemistry best suited for this is currently Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries. BLUETTI only uses LiFePO4 battery technology in their solar generators so all our models have a very high number of charge/discharge cycles ranging from 2500 - 3500+.
| Model | Capacity | Lifecycles | Lifetime Energy | LCOS |
| EB3A | 268 Wh | 2500 | 670 kWh | $0,326 |
| EB55 | 537 Wh | 2500 | 1342 kWh | $0,371 |
| EB70S | 716 Wh | 2500 | 1790 kWh | $0,317 |
| AC200P | 2000 Wh | 3500 | 7000 kWh | $0,199 |
| EP500 Pro | 5100 Wh | 3500 | 17,850 kWh | $0,268 |
By calculating the LCOS you can see what you are paying per kWh. In California, the average cost of electricity per kWh is $0,266 for residential consumers.
Therefore, electricity generated by our AC200P is actually cheaper than electricity bought from the utilities in California.
Comparing BLUETTI LCOS With Other Brands
For this comparison we will use BLUETTI's flagship model the AC200P 2000 Wh.
| Brand | Model | Capacity | Lifecycles | Lifetime Energy | LCOS |
| Bluetti | AC200P | 2000 Wh | 3500 | 7000 kWh | $0,199 |
| Jackery | 2000 Pro | 2160 Wh | 1000 | 2160 kWh | $0,971 |
| Goal Zero | Yeti 3000X | 3032 Wh | 500 | 1516 kWh | $1,846 |
| Point Zero | Titan | 2000 Wh | N/A | N/A kWh | N/A |
| Anker | PH 767 | 2048 Wh | 3000 | 6144 kWh | $0,357 |
Final Thoughts
Based on the above chart, BLUETTI has the best LCOS on the market. Unfortunately it is hard to compare all brands as not all build models with similar energy capacities, in this case 2000 Wh.
Nevertheless, thanks to BLUETTI's cutting edge battery technology, our solar generators are able to give you the most bang for your buck.
(Please note, it is very important that you are able to find the lifecycles of your proposed solar generator. When a company states their products lifecycles, they are giving you an insight into the battery technology being used in their product. Without this information, it is impossible for you to make an informed buying decision.)
