The 5 Best Solar Battery Storage Systems UK: Expert Picks 2024

If you want to make the most of your solar panels, complementing your system with a solar battery is a must. That’s why we’re giving you a rundown of the best solar battery storage systems in the UK.

The best solar panel batteries might not align with your home's needs, depending on your energy consumption, which may necessitate higher capacity. Conversely, some batteries have high capacities but low round-trip efficiency, meaning a portion of energy will be lost during charging and transfer.

To learn more about these specifications and other terms, check out our explanation section detailing our system selection process.

With these considerations in mind, let's delve into our top-rated solar battery storage reviews in the UK.

If you're seeking assistance in finding the right solar panel system and/or solar battery price, you'll require the expertise of a professional. Locating a reliable installer can be time-consuming. Fortunately, we offer a streamlined solution.

Our service can provide you with up to 4 free, non-binding quotes from trusted installers. Simply fill out a 30-second form. With multiple quotes, you can select the ones that best suit your needs. Click the button below to start and discover the ideal solar batteries or solar panels for your home.

As a leading provider of green energy storage solutions, AlphaESS has earned a strong reputation for delivering tailored solutions across residential, commercial, industrial, and utility projects worldwide. With over 100,000 systems actively running in more than 90 countries, AlphaESS provides millions with reliable and clean energy solutions.

The Alpha Smile5 ESS stands out as a cost-effective yet reliable energy storage solution. With a storage capacity ranging from 2.9 to 80kWh per battery and a total capacity of 80kWh in series, it offers flexibility to suit various energy needs.

The Smile5 series, AlphaESS's flagship solar battery, is renowned for its versatility, supporting DC-coupling, AC-coupling, and hybrid-coupling connections. It offers multiple battery options ranging from 2.9kWh to 13.3kWh, catering to a wide range of requirements. 

The additional hybrid inverter charges the battery and converts stored battery power into readily usable AC electricity, allowing instant connection to solar power. Sold individually, these modules integrate into a unified, streamlined unit.

While solar batteries often come with hefty price tags, the Smile5 ESS offers exceptional value for money. According to our research, these batteries are priced between £3,500 to £4,500 per unit, making it a competitive alternative to higher-priced options. Despite its affordability, the Smile5 ESS doesn't compromise on performance, with an impressive usable capacity of 9.1kWh.

Overall, the AlphaESS Smile series is a relatively affordable solar battery with options that will suit any sized household in the UK. 

The SunPower SunVault is the best solar battery storage device if your main concern is maximising usable capacity. As one of the most popular and well-known producers of solar batteries, SunPower’s systems are known for their durability and wide range of systems with differing energy capacities.

They may have only one line of solar batteries but they come in various sizes, providing multiple options for both low-power and high-power systems. The capacity of the SunVault can be increased by installing more modules, with each battery module allowing for an extra 6.5 kWh.

Although SunPower does not disclose pricing information, customers have discussed their various supply costs on forums (many of which are different based on their region and needs but fit within a range). According to post-purchase reviews, the 13kWh model costs £12,000 to £16,500, while the 26kWh model is priced between £20,000 to £26,000 with installation.

Despite the seemingly high cost per battery, their systems remain some of the highest-quality products on the market with a reportedly very high usable capacity, especially with a 52kWh configuration.

Currently, the SunVault series is available in 13kWh, 19.5kWh, 26kWh, 39kWh, and 52kWh capacities. These options are best suited to medium-large sized homes. 

Tesla Energy is probably the most popular name in solar technology right now, and for good reason. The Powerwall has received rave reviews due to its strong performance and high efficiency. One of its other benefits is that it works well with and without solar panels, storing energy for later use.

Together with the solar panels, Tesla’s full system is a strong contender for the best solar panels and battery in the UK. Due to its ability to function in up to 10 battery-connected series and its impressive Depth of Discharge, it may be the best battery for home electricity needs, regardless of your energy demands.

Tesla’s connectivity features are also a plus but they have some kinks to work out. The Backup Gateway 2 is included as part of the package, which is a smaller box that communicates directly with Powerwall. This allows you to monitor energy use and manage backup energy reserves using any mobile device. In theory, that’s great but so far, they have been rather buggy. In addition, the Tesla Powerwall cost in the UK is something to consider.

With a 3rd iteration of the Tesla Powerwall solar battery announced and potentially on the market soon, there may be another great system worth considering for this list down the line.

Overall, this highly efficient solar battery by Tesla will suit any medium to large home in the UK, with a total capacity ranging up to 140kWh. 

Enphase’s IQ batteries aren’t just a singular solution. They come in a range of sizes and prices which makes them one of the more versatile choices on the market. While they can’t compete with a lot of other companies in terms of sheer power, they have found their own way to stand out: low-power systems and variety.

The Enphase IQ can meet the more minute needs for a lower price or be cheaper to buy when mixed and matched with their more powerful batteries. They are also versatile in that they can operate with both gas-powered and solar generators.

Aside from the batteries themselves, Enphase also offers great warranties that can go up to 15 years with 70% guaranteed capacity by the end of the term. The company offers a 10-year standard warranty and a 5-year extension. However, the warranty only applies for 4,000 cycles, which is less than most other manufacturers.

Another downside is that if you already have a system, you may not be able to switch to Enphase easily as their products only work with Enphase inverters (which might cause extra expenses).

While its total capacity is not disclosed, the Enphase IQ solar battery starts at 3.36kW storage capacity, making it especially suited to smaller homes. 

World-renowned electronics producer LG has a lot going for its systems. Their solar batteries come in a wide variety of sizes and capacities, much like SunPower. However, where they stand out is in terms of both range and customisation. They are also compact and slim for their relative power ratings.

The LG Chem Resu series ranges from 6.5–13kWh (LG Resu), 6.5–9.8kWh (Resu-H), and 10–16kWh (Resu Prime). As the numbers indicate, the Prime is the most powerful of the three, offering a continuous power output of 7kWh with a peak output of 11kWh. Perfect for maintaining full power in an outage with an above-average rate of consumption.

LG lithium ion batteries perform better in the cold as they do not have liquid cooling (they only use passive cooling). This makes them a good choice for regions with colder climates.

The LG Chem Resu series, ranging from 6.5–16kWh,  has options that will suit any sized home.

If any of the options above piqued your interest, you’ll probably be aching to get your hands on a solar battery or an extensive solar panel system. For that, you’ll need the help of a professional installer you can trust. Ordinarily, this can take days of extensive research, contacting installers, and assessing their offers. That’s why we have a faster way.

Our service can help you obtain solar battery quotes from trustworthy installers instantly. We’ve vetted them for you so that you can be sure you’ll get the best prices and the best service. All you have to do is fill out a 30-second form with some basic info about what you need. Click the button below to receive up to 4 free, non-binding quotes.

We’ve broken down the best battery storage for solar panels using these main criteria:

We’ll further explain the criteria below but it’s important to know that we’re assessing a broad range of stats to inform you of the specifics as different solar panel owners have different needs. Moreover, solar batteries can vary in output and consumers may not be looking for an expensive, large-scale solution. The size solar battery you need in the UK should be between 10kWh to 20kWh for the average 2 to 3-person household.

The best batteries for solar panels may not be the best for your home depending on your energy consumption (which would require higher capacity). Conversely, some batteries have high capacities but low round-trip efficiency, in which case the amount you can withdraw from the total capacity will be lower, i.e. during the charging and energy transfer, a certain percentage of energy will be lost.

If you want to learn more about what these specs and some other terms mean, check out the section where we explain how we chose the systems listed.

With these factors in mind, let’s dig into some of our highest-rated solar battery storage reviews in the UK.

Here are the manufacturers that build the best batteries for solar panels in the UK and how well they fare in the UK market. We’re assessing the manufacturers based on several factors including:

Here is our review of the manufacturers listed above:

In terms of quality of systems, Tesla may be the most well-balanced, making it very high quality. They may have a small range of batteries but they provide them at low prices compared to their relatively high capacities. They also provide excellent warranties.

That isn’t to say it’s all smooth sailing for Tesla. While the Tesla Powerwall 2 is the best battery for home energy needs in many respects, the company does not have a particularly high score in customer service. They also have limited availability and the batteries can only be installed by Tesla-certified installers. These hold the company back a bit, despite the strength of their technologies.

LG and SunPower both have a decent claim to the best battery system for solar energy storage. However, SunPower gives very little information about DoD and prices, which is bad for customer information and assessment. The company is also held back by its high prices (as obtained from customer reviews).

Overall, all these manufacturers have their pros and cons that you should consider carefully.

You might be wondering how we picked this lineup so let’s elaborate on our criteria for choosing the best solar battery in the UK.

Per battery capacity: This metric indicates the energy storage capacity of each battery. Higher capacity batteries store more charge, which is typically preferred by consumers. However, it's important to consider this alongside the cost per kWh. A battery with high capacity and cost per kWh may become more expensive as it nears its full capacity. As mentioned earlier, the SunPower SunVault excels in this aspect.

The table below shows the battery size required per household size in the UK. 

Total capacity in series: Solar batteries can be linked to increase their capacity levels. For instance, Tesla Energy allows you to connect up to 10 batteries in parallel, offering the highest capacity in a series configuration. While individual batteries may be powerful, understanding combined output is crucial if you plan to purchase multiple batteries. However, linking batteries can be costly yet potent.

Continuous power output: This indicates the level of power your battery can consistently provide. A high continuous power output means your battery can supply electricity to more appliances and electronics. Batteries with high CPOs are suitable for powering entire households, whereas lower outputs are more suitable for emergency power during outages.

Peak power output: Similar to CPO, this measures how much power your battery can produce but focuses on peak levels. It's useful for understanding the battery's performance limits without risking damage. The top-tier LG RESU Prime excels in this category with a peak performance rating of 11kWh.

Depth of discharge (DoD): This signifies the effective usable capacity of your battery. In many battery types, the full stored energy cannot be withdrawn. A 100% DoD means you can utilize the entire battery capacity as specified in the specs. For example, a 90% DoD on a 10kWh battery means you have 9kWh of actual storage, with 10% lost as you use energy. Tesla Energy batteries boast nearly 100% DoD, making them highly efficient in this regard.

Round-trip efficiency: This measures how much of the solar power put into your battery will actually be available for storage over time. It's the ratio of input power versus retrievable power. Solar batteries consume energy during operation/charging, and this metric indicates the rate at which input power is lost. Higher round-trip efficiency is crucial in areas with expensive energy costs, as it reduces reliance on the energy grid and minimizes losses during transfer. The Generac PWRcell boasts one of the highest round-trip efficiency ratings in the industry, at 96.5%.

Warranty: Solar panel systems represent a significant investment, so ensuring you get your money's worth is vital. Warranties play a key role in this, ensuring you can receive repairs or replacements for any faulty parts. A standard 10-year warranty is common, but companies like Enphase offer extensions up to 15 years total.

If you’re looking to install the best solar battery for your solar panels, we recommend seeking out multiple installers. A good installer can save you tons of money on solar panel costs and get the job done smoothly. Many of the solar battery manufacturers listed above only allow installation from certified professionals. It’s the only way to find the best battery for solar energy storage that suits your home and needs, especially since there are so many factors to consider.

Finding the right person for the job can be tricky with the abundance of options available. Trustworthy solar panel installers can provide you with great prices and great service but it often takes days to assess professionals and compare prices if done on your own. A good installer can even help you navigate paperwork and get the right government solar panel grants. Luckily, you don’t have to do it yourself!

Our service is one of the best ways to obtain solar battery quotes from vetted professionals. We’ve done the legwork to ensure that they are all reliable and provide reasonable prices. All you need to do is fill out a 30-second form and we’ll provide you with up to 4 free, non-binding quotes so you can pick the best ones. Click the button below to get started.