Residential battery storage - yes or no?

Battery storage for a domestic property? - is it a good idea or not?

If you are thinking about installing solar panels on your residential property, adding battery storage at the same time can be a great idea, especially if you are looking to optimize your energy usage and reduce your carbon footprint. If you already have a solar array installed, then battery storage can be retro fitted to the system.

Planned upfront, a brand new solar array can be retrofitted with a battery too.

Here are sone key points to consider:

Benefits:

Energy Independence: Battery storage allows you to store excess energy generated by solar panels or other renewable sources, making you less independent on the grid.

Cost savings: By using stored energy during the dark hours when electricity prices are higher, you can save on your energy bills. You can also charge your battery using the lower night rate tariffs which can be way lower than the day rate. This is particularly useful in winter when the solar production is not so great but you can still make savings by topping up the battery at night with cheap energy.

Environmental Impact: Using stored solar energy reduces your reliance on fossil fuel, contributing to a lower carbon footprint.

Backup power: Batteries can provide backup power during power outages, depending on which brand you buy depends on the extent of the power provided. Some will allow you to run a plug socket that provides power to your basic needs such as work computer or freezer so long the battery has stored power. The more expensive brands can run your house almost as when there was no outage, obviously once the storage is depleted, this no longer functions.

Considerations:

Upfront costs: The initial investment can be high, ranging for a simple small battery from £1000 to a top of the range £10000 , it can be a lot of money to invest upfront. It is wise to make sure the battery will work specifically for your requirements. For a domestic property, the payback period for battery storage can be long.

Lifespan and maintenance: Batteries can typically last 5 to 15 years. You should always ask for the cycle life and warranties of the battery before purchase. Normally domestic battery storage systems are pretty low maintenance but again, ask beforehand when deciding which battery is going to work for you best. Yellow Energy Ltd offer advice as to what system is better for you.

Will battery storage effect my FIT payments: Some lucky people receive the Feed in Tariff, so called FIT. The FIT agreement typically assumes that any excess electricity generated by your Renewable Energy source, usually solar, is exported directly to the Grid. If you install a battery, some of this excess energy might be stored in the battery instead of being exported, which could reduce the amount of payments you receive. Deemed Export payments are usually 50% of your total generation. This means even if you store energy that would have been exported before, you may receive the same export payments.

Before you consider installing a battery storage system, it is crucial to discuss this with your FIT Licensee to see how it would affect your payments,

Overall, if you have the budget for the initial investment and are looking to maximise the use of your renewable energy, then battery storage can be a worthwhile addition to your home.

Which system is best for me? Well, that requires a good look at your usage profile. There are quite a few brands of domestic and commercial batteries. From basic storage up to systems working hand in hand with your energy providers best tariffs, the world's an oyster! Battery storage will be as part of your household appliances as your fridge, systems are getting more and more sophisticated with intelligent monitoring to use your renewable energy to your best advantage. Systems can talk to your EV vehicle, your immersion heater, some systems will power your house in the case of a power cut, you will not even notice it has happened.

If you are looking for advice on battery storage systems, please use the contact form below to arrange a consultation with us. We are happy to assist you with your choice.