Battery Storage FAQs

What is a battery storage system and how does it work?

Battery storage technologies are essential to speed up the replacement of fossil fuels with renewable energy and to maximise the benefits of any solar you have installed. Simply put, battery storage is a smart way to maximise your return on investment from a solar panel system. A home battery stores any extra solar you generate so that you can use it later, rather than exporting to the grid – even after the sun goes down.

 

An average of 50% of your solar power goes unused and is usually sold to and self-consumed by the grid. With a battery, that ‘lost’ energy is stored for later use.

With the addition of a home battery to the system, we would expect solar self-consumption to increase from 50% to up to 90%, saving you as much as 90% on your energy bills.

What’s more, you can even store energy from the grid during the night when energy is cheaper by being less in demand – and, with smart scheduling, monitor, manage and schedule its charge.

 

On your quote, you’ll see an animation like this one. This will allow you to see an example of where energy flows, depending on your house usage.

 

 

Which battery storage systems do we offer?

We offer three batteries that vary in capacity, features and price, to ensure we can match a battery to your solar system. 

Our Tesla Powerwall 2 is our largest battery with a whopping 13.5kWh of energy storage. Not just brilliant storage though, they also come with power outage backup as standard, to keep your home functioning even if there's a power cut! This battery can be installed with any solar system, or as a standalone battery.

The SolarEdge Home Battery is rated at 9.7kWh and has the option of off-grid backup. This battery can only be installed with a SolarEdge system and is ideal for anyone wanting to be able to monitor everything within a single app.

The smallest battery we offer is the Solax battery which has 5.8kWh of energy storage. This battery offers a great amount of storage for the price and is perfect for those smaller solar systems, where a bigger battery wouldn't be fully used.

 

How much battery storage do I need for my home?

A battery can range from 2kWh to 15kWh sizes. But it all depends on how large your solar system is and how much power you and generating and losing. We can discuss recommended battery sizing with you during our free virtual consultation.

Our SolarEdge battery offers 9.7kWh of usable energy storage and our Tesla Powerwall offers 13.5kwH of energy storage! Both of which can supply a continuous 5kW charge and discharge rate, along with off-peak charging capabilities.

 

What is Depth of Discharge (DoD)?

DoD determines how much of a battery can be used by you for storing solar power and feeding your home. Some batteries boast impressive storage capacities for the cost; however, they may not have 100% DoD. This means that if you purchase a 10kWh battery with an 80% DoD, you’ll only be able to use 8kW of the storage you’ve paid for!

 

Both our Tesla and SolarEdge batteries boast 100% DoD, meaning you can fully use all the storage that you’ve paid for! Keep an eye out for this when comparing competitor quotes. Not all are created equal.

 

Why should I invest in home battery storage?

From saving on your energy bills to helping in the darker months, there are tons of benefits of battery storage. We cover all the benefits of a home battery here.

 

How much does battery storage cost?

Our battery storage costs depend on the type of system you are having installed, if you’re having solar installed at the same time, the amount of storage you required and many other factors. For an accurate quote, we can discuss this with you in a free virtual consultation, to ensure the prices are accurate for your specific needs.

 

Do I need to buy a battery system at the same time as my solar system?

It isn’t necessary to have your battery installed at the same time as your solar panels but, if they are installed at the same time, you don’t pay VAT on the battery as it is labelled as a solar installation.

It’s also worth mentioning that depending on the approval required for your solar system, it may be easier to gain approval for solar and a battery at the same time, rather than having to submit a second application with any wait times later down the line.

 

Do home batteries come with a warranty?

Our home batteries come with a 10-year warranty to make sure you can get the most out of your battery and home solar system.

 

Where can I have my battery fitted?

It’s entirely up to you! Some people opt to have their battery in their garage, while others prefer to have it on display on the outside of their homes or even in their hallway. We would strongly recommend that a battery is only installed in locations that are easily accessible for servicing and maintenance.

Batteries can be extremely heavy, weighing up to 125KG, meaning that installing in lofts or installing at heights may not be possible. Factor in the physical sizes of batteries too, it may not even be possible to fit it through your loft hatch.

 

Do I need planning permission for battery storage?

Most of the time, this won’t be necessary unless you live in a listed building, or your house is in a conservation area or an area of natural beauty. The only permissions you may need would be through the DNO and G99 applications which we’ll take care of.

 

How can I monitor how much energy my system is generating?

 

 

Everything has an app nowadays, including a solar and battery set-up. Through this, you can monitor how much power your solar panels are generating, how much you use and sell to the grid, and how much you store in your battery – from your solar panels and the grid, thanks to smart scheduling.

 

 

 

Are domestic battery storage systems safe?

Yes. Like solar panels, home batteries require little to no maintenance and ours come with a 10-year warranty. They can be installed both inside or outside and have an operating temperature of approximately -10°C to +50°C.

We say “We set, and you forget” because, quite simply, as soon as it’s installed, you immediately reap the benefits.

 

How do I get battery storage?

You can head over to our online Solar and storage quoting page or contact us directly if you have any initial enquires. We can give you a quick initial call or book in a virtual consultation to answer any questions and run through a quote that’s bespoke to your property and your needs.