Direct answer: A useful battery storage RFQ should define the application, destination, load profile, backup objective, grid and phase conditions, solar input, required system boundary, quantity, installation environment, required model-specific documents, Incoterm and target schedule. Without these inputs, suppliers are likely to quote different scopes that cannot be compared fairly.
A request that says only “send your price for a 10 kWh battery” looks simple, but it leaves most engineering and commercial assumptions unanswered. Is the buyer comparing a battery only, a battery with a hybrid inverter, or a complete system? Must the system support a refrigerator and lighting, or motors and pumps? Is the quotation EXW, FOB or delivered? Which documents must apply to the exact model?
This checklist is written for solar installers, distributors, importers and EPC teams that need comparable quotations rather than a collection of unrelated price lists. It follows the same early-stage procurement principle used in the U.S. Department of Energy's Battery Energy Storage System Procurement Checklist: define the project requirements and responsibilities before selecting equipment.
1. Start with the buyer and project context
| RFQ field | What to provide | Why it changes the quote |
|---|---|---|
| Buyer role | Distributor, installer, EPC, project owner or end user | Determines whether the response should focus on resale, installation, integration or project delivery. |
| Destination | Country, city or port | Affects grid conditions, documentation, packing, transport and commercial terms. |
| Application | Residential backup, solar self-consumption, shop, farm, telecom, C&I or another defined use | Changes the duty cycle, power requirement and system architecture. |
| Quantity | Sample, pilot batch, project quantity and expected repeat demand | Separates a technical sample from a distribution or project quotation. |
2. Separate energy from power
Battery energy is measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh). Load and inverter power are measured in kilowatts (kW). A larger kWh number does not automatically mean the system can start or carry a high-power load. The RFQ should therefore include both an energy profile and a power profile.
- Critical loads: list each device, rated power, quantity and expected operating hours.
- Continuous load: the power expected during normal battery operation.
- Peak or surge load: motors, compressors, pumps and other equipment that may draw more power during startup.
- Required backup duration: state the hours for critical loads, not simply “whole-home backup.”
- Daily energy use: provide meter data when available instead of relying only on appliance nameplates.
A screening calculation can be expressed as:
This is a starting point, not a final design. The supplier or system designer must still check inverter power, surge capability, recharge time, temperature, reserve margin, expansion strategy and product-specific operating limits.
3. Describe the electrical system
Include nominal voltage and frequency, single-phase or three-phase service, available grid capacity and whether the site already has solar. If photovoltaic modules are installed or planned, provide array power, string information and the existing or proposed inverter model. State whether the objective is backup, solar self-consumption, off-grid operation or another permitted control strategy.
Do not assume every battery communicates with every inverter. Ask the supplier to confirm compatibility for the exact quoted battery and inverter combination, including the physical interface, supported communication method and the firmware or configuration basis used for confirmation.
4. Define the supply boundary
Many apparent price differences are actually scope differences. Ask every bidder to mark each item as included, optional or excluded:
- battery module, cabinet or rack;
- battery management system and display;
- hybrid inverter, PCS or charger;
- cables, connectors, breakers, fuses and disconnects;
- meter, current transformers, monitoring hardware and software;
- mounting accessories, enclosure and environmental controls;
- commissioning support, training and spare parts;
- packing, inland transport, export handling and international freight.
5. Request evidence for the exact quoted model
A certificate from a related model or a generic factory brochure is not automatically evidence for the product being quoted. Ask the supplier to create a model-to-document matrix showing the exact model identifier, document title, issuing or testing body, report or certificate number, date and scope.
Depending on the product, destination and shipping method, a buyer may need model-specific safety or performance evidence, manuals, labels, a UN 38.3 test summary, safety data and transport documents. Availability and applicability should be confirmed for the exact selected model before quotation or shipment. A standard number by itself does not prove that a particular product is covered.
6. Make the commercial quotation comparable
| Commercial item | Required answer |
|---|---|
| Price basis | Currency, validity period, taxes included or excluded, and exact Incoterm with named place or port. |
| Lead time | State whether it begins after deposit, drawing approval, branding confirmation or another milestone. |
| MOQ | Separate sample MOQ, standard-product MOQ and OEM MOQ. |
| Warranty | Duration, start point, exclusions, remedy, labour responsibility, return process and applicable model. |
| Payment | Deposit, balance trigger, accepted method and any credit terms. |
| Packing | Units per carton or pallet, gross weight, dimensions and dangerous-goods handling basis where applicable. |
7. Copy-and-send RFQ template
- Company, country and buyer role:
- Application and installation environment:
- Grid voltage, frequency and phase:
- Critical-load list, continuous power and surge loads:
- Daily energy use and required backup hours:
- Existing or planned solar array and inverter:
- Required scope: battery only, battery plus inverter, or complete system:
- Quantity: sample, pilot and expected repeat volume:
- Required exact-model documents:
- Delivery term, destination port/place and target date:
- OEM branding, monitoring or communication requirements:
- Questions about warranty, spare parts and technical support:
Frequently asked questions
What information is required for a battery storage quotation?
Provide the destination country, buyer role, application, load power, daily energy, required backup time, grid and phase details, solar array information, preferred system scope, quantity, installation environment, required documents, trade term and target schedule.
Is battery capacity in kWh enough to compare quotations?
No. Compare usable energy, continuous and peak power, inverter compatibility, system voltage, operating limits, included protection, documentation, warranty terms and the exact supply boundary.
How should a buyer estimate initial battery capacity?
A screening estimate is critical-load energy divided by the planned usable fraction and expected conversion efficiency. Final sizing must also check peak power, surge loads, recharge window, environmental derating and reserve margin.
Which compliance documents should be requested?
Ask the supplier to identify documents available for the exact quoted model and destination. Depending on the product and shipment, these may include model-specific test reports or certificates, a UN 38.3 test summary, safety data, manuals, labels and shipping documents.
What makes two battery quotations genuinely comparable?
Use the same load profile, backup objective, system boundary, destination, quantity and trade term. Require each supplier to state inclusions, exclusions, assumptions, document availability, warranty conditions and lead-time basis.
Source boundary: The linked U.S. Department of Energy checklist is an authoritative general procurement reference for commercial lithium-ion BESS. It does not certify SH Energy products or replace project engineering, local electrical rules, customs advice or dangerous-goods review.
Send a complete RFQ, not just a kWh number
Email your completed requirements to jimmy@sunhongenergy.com. SH Energy will identify the information still missing and prepare a model-specific comparison without assuming unconfirmed certification, compatibility or shipping scope.