Recent sunny weather was the ideal time to install a new domestic solar panel system. The project included a 3.7kW hybrid inverter supplying a 5kW battery.
As we all know, the sun doesn’t always shine in the UK. However, when your installation produces more energy than you need, solar panel battery storage allows you to use it later.
What you should know about solar energy battery storage
Solar batteries store the electricity generated by solar panels during the day to use at night or during cloudy days.
The size of the battery depends on the manufacturer and the storage capacity you need. Often, they’re around the size of your washing machine, but not as deep.
You don’t have to install a battery at the same time as your solar panels. You may prefer to wait and see how much energy you produce. However, it might cost less to do it when your solar panel installers are on site.
By storing extra energy to use later you’re less reliant on the grid and can reduce your energy bills further. Making the most of your renewable energy source helps to reduce your carbon footprint even more.
Your return on investment
When you’re deciding what’s best for you, you will want to look at the initial costs and the energy savings you can achieve. You’ll want your installer to visit to make sure your property is suitable, that you have room for a battery, and that it makes sense financially.
Using stored energy is less efficient than using energy directly generated by your solar panels. You’ll need to take this into account too. The lifespan of your battery depends on the number of charge/discharge cycles and good manufacturers will provide a warranty.
If your battery storage is full, you can export your extra electricity back to the grid. The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) means you can receive payments according to your export meter readings.
Alternatively, some batteries can divert extra electricity to charge your electric vehicles (EVs) or other systems. You can also combine your solar battery storage with smart apps to time-shift more of your energy use to off-peak times.
Please get in touch if you would like to know more about solar energy and battery storage for your home.
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