You can store electricity in electrical batteries, or convert it into heat and stored in a heat battery. You can also store heat in thermal storage, such as a hot water cylinder. Energy storage can be useful if you already generate your own renewable energy, as it lets you use more of your low carbon energy.
Energy storage systems let you capture heat or electricity when it’s readily available,. This kind of readily available energy is typically renewable energy. By storing it to use later, you make more use of renewable energy sources and are less reliant on fossil fuels. Let’s look at how they work and what the different types of energy storage are.
Whether you want to be greener, save on energy bills, or have a backup power plan, home battery storage is a big deal. Having a home battery means you can save extra electricity when it’s cheaper, like at night, and use it later when energy costs more or during a blackout. And guess what? You don’t even need solar panels to make this work.
Energy storage can be useful if you already generate your own renewable energy, as it lets you use more of your low carbon energy. It reduces wasted energy and is more cost effective than exporting excess electricity. For example, you can store electricity generated during the day by solar panels in an electric battery.
Heat batteries are generally smaller and lighter than filled thermal stores. This means you can install one in a convenient location even if you can’t find space for a traditional hot water cylinder. Heat storage batteries don’t degrade in the same way as electrical batteries, so should have a longer lifespan.
You can use a battery to store electricity you import from the grid at cheaper times of the day, with a smart time of use tariff. This can reduce your reliance on more expensive electricity during peak periods, with some tariffs even letting you sell energy during those periods.