Charge power

Charge power is the rate at which a battery storage system can accept electricity while it is charging. It is normally shown in kilowatts (kW), while the battery's stored-energy capacity is shown in kilowatt hours (kWh). Capacity tells you how much energy the battery can store, while charge power tells you the upper charging rate the battery and inverter arrangement can use under the conditions stated by the manufacturer. The figure matters when excess solar generation is available, because the battery may not be able to absorb every kilowatt being produced if its charging limit is lower. Datasheets may separate peak power, continuous real power, charge and discharge values or test-condition figures, so charge power should be read as a published limit rather than a guarantee that every charge session will hold that rate.