Together with solar panels, solar battery storage allows you to store and use more of the renewable energy they generate, reducing your electricity bills and carbon footprint. So what is it and how does it work? How much do solar batteries cost? How do solar panels work? Why use battery storage with solar panels?
If you already own solar panels, you can easily retrofit a solar battery. When the solar battery is installed, it must be either AC-coupled or DC-coupled, and this depends on the type of inverter your panels are using. If your PV system has a microinverter, then the solar battery will have to be AC-coupled, which is a fairly quick installation.
Like solar panels, the efficiency of solar batteries does decrease over time, so typically they will need to be replaced at least once within the lifetime of solar panels. This can mean it takes longer to break-even on the cost of installing them. But the technology and efficiency of these renewable energy products are improving all the time.
Adding battery storage to work in conjunction with a solar panel system allows you to use more of the renewable electricity generated and reduce reliance on the grid. For example, you could store electricity generated via your solar panels during the day to then use at night.
A solar battery allows you to store electricity produced by your solar panels and use it later or, in some cases, sell it back to the grid to make a few quid – but they're not cheap. Read on to see if it's worth getting a solar storage battery for your home... This is the first incarnation of this guide.
While the Aussie rock band went for a bit of both, you have to choose one or the other. If you’re installing a solar battery at the same time as solar panels, it’s best to opt for a DC (direct current) battery, which connects directly to the panels and doesn’t require an additional inverter.