**7. Results and Discussion**

In this section, to provide a significant innovation and contribution in the field of implementing battery energy storage for photovoltaic applications, a techno-economic analysis of two battery technologies incorporated with the Photovoltaic Grid-Connected System is carried out by adopting the HOMER-Pro-software with contemplation of actual load profiles and resource data. Consequently, the BESS-PV incorporated with a Li-ion battery brought forth a LCOE of 5.46 R/kWh in comparison with the BESS-PV system embedded with a Pb-acid battery postulating a LCOE of 5.8 R/kWh. Conversely, a total present cost (TPC) of the BESS-PV system with Li-ion batteries turned out to have a total of about R245,774 in comparison to the BESS-PV system with Pb-acid battery yielded a TPC of R257,841. The levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) outcome of the current study is proved to be favorable. The comparative analysis of Pb-acid and Li-ion battery technology in reference to various measure of effectiveness is tabulated in Table 7.

**Table 7.** Pb-acid vs. Li-ion battery technology in reference to various measure of effectiveness.


As observed above, for each type of BESS with similar input PV, the number of batteries, converter parameters postulated, the state of charge (%), battery capacity (Ah), and lifetime (years) feature an output of Li-ion batteries (100%, 167, 11) is discovered to be enhanced compared to a Pb-acid battery (100%, 83, 4). Moreover, as shown in Table 8, it could be absorbed as evidence for Li-ion batteries to be exploited in solar PV generation due to their enhanced energy capability.

**Table 8.** Pb-acid vs. Li-ion battery technology in reference to techno-economic analysis results.


By this investigation, the results lead to the conclusion that the BESS-PV system with Li-ion batteries necessitates about 41% fewer batteries in comparison to Pb-acid batteries and is supplementary in the establishment of an unswerving power source with lower expenditure. Furthermore, Li-ion battery technology delivered lower TPC and LCOE, and the BESS-PV system that has a higher solar PV fraction necessitates a greater number of batteries reciprocally. Generally, considering the standard application scenario investigated, Li-ion batteries are ascertained to be lucrative in both technical and economic countenances, and thus, they are advisable as a fill-in workable solution in combating the problem of load shedding in South Africa.
