C-rate is the charge or discharge rate of a battery expressed as a multiple of its rated capacity: at 1C the battery delivers its full rated capacity in one hour, at 0.5C in two hours, and at 2C in thirty minutes.
Why it matters for home backup power
C-rate connects the energy stored in a battery to the power it can actually deliver. When a home loses grid power, the battery must sustain real appliances: a refrigerator, lights, a medical device, a pump. If the combined load demands more kilowatts than the battery’s rated continuous discharge C-rate can supply, the system either shuts down or delivers less кВт·ч than its nameplate suggests. Matching C-rate to peak household load is therefore as important as choosing the right capacity. Higher C-rates also stress cells: sustained operation above the rated discharge C-rate accelerates heat and aging, reducing the total number of cycles the battery delivers.
C-rate in practice
Key numbers
Most residential LiFePO4 storage systems are designed for a continuous discharge C-rate of 0.5C, meaning a 10 kWh pack delivers 5 kW continuously; a 5 kWh pack at the same rate delivers 2.5 kW. Short-duration peak loads can draw at a higher C-rate for seconds to minutes. Sustained high C-rate discharge is what wears cells. On the charge side, most home packs accept up to 0.5C from solar or grid, so a 10 kWh system charges fully in about two hours at maximum rate.
Charge rate vs discharge rate
Both charging and discharging carry a C-rate. Charging at high C-rates raises cell temperature and shortens Ресурс циклов; the BMS enforces safe limits automatically so the homeowner never has to manage this directly. The depth of discharge per cycle sets the total energy moved; combined with C-rate, it determines the daily mechanical and thermal stress on the cells.
How Genixgreen uses C-rate
Genixgreen rates every home storage system for both a continuous discharge C-rate and a peak C-rate for short load spikes. Genixgreen has built LiFePO4 storage in its own factory since 2011 and ships to 100+ countries, with local stock in Odesa for delivery across Ukraine. The integrated BMS in each unit enforces charge and discharge C-rate limits cell by cell, protecting longevity without requiring manual intervention from the homeowner.
Related terms
- Ресурс циклов: how sustained high C-rate operation shortens total cycles delivered, and what the 80 percent end-of-life point means
- DoD (глубина разряда): the share of capacity used per cycle; together with C-rate, it sets daily stress on the cells
- кВт·ч: the capacity unit C-rate converts into kilowatts of usable power for a given discharge duration
- Browse the full Genixgreen product range to compare rated C-rates across home and commercial systems
- Back to the Глоссарий систем хранения энергии