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If you have solar panels and are considering pairing them with a battery, then you’re probably wondering: “Are solar batteries worth it in the UK?” The answer is yes, they can be. A battery allows you to store excess solar energy for later use, which comes in handy in moments when your solar panels aren’t generating energy, such as at night.
However, while there are some practical and financial advantages to getting a solar battery, there are also some significant drawbacks, the main one being their high initial cost, which ranges from £2,500 to £10,000+. In this article, we’ll walk you through the pros and cons of solar batteries to help you decide whether they are the right choice for you.
If you still have questions or concerns, it’s good to talk to a professional who can offer you tailored advice. Instead of wasting hours of your precious free time googling local experts, let us put you in touch with 4 installers from our network in no time. Simply click below to get started in just 30 seconds!
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What makes solar batteries worth it is the fact that you can store excess solar energy for later use. This allows you to reduce your reliance on the electricity grid, which can lower your carbon emissions, as well as your electricity bills.
While solar panels have several impressive advantages, one of their downsides is that you need to be at home during peak energy production hours to fully benefit from the free, green electricity they generate. In the UK, these hours are generally between 11am and 2pm. Most people aren’t usually home at this time, causing between 20% and 50% of the electricity produced to be wasted.
With solar batteries, you avoid wasting solar energy. So, what are some of the other differences between pairing your solar system with a solar battery and not doing so? Check out the table below to find out:
Solar Panels Without VS With Solar Batteries | ||
---|---|---|
Advantage | Without Solar Battery | With Solar Battery |
Use solar energy during the day | Yes | Yes |
Use solar energy at night | No | Yes |
Sell solar energy back to the electricity grid | Yes | Yes |
Power backup in case of power outage | No | Yes |
Store grid electricity when costs are lower | No | Yes |
When asking yourself: “Is a solar battery worth it?” you inevitably have to take the cost of a solar battery into account. Currently, solar battery prices in the UK range from £2,500 to £10,000+, depending on what size solar battery you need for your home.
You can find out more about solar battery costs below:
Solar Battery Cost in the UK (2024) | ||
---|---|---|
Household Size | Solar Battery Capacity Size | Solar Battery Cost |
1 - 2 bedrooms | 4 - 7kWh | £3,500 - £8,000 |
2 - 3 bedrooms | 9 - 12kWh | £8,000 - £10,000 |
4 - 5 bedrooms | 13 - 14kWh | £10,000+ |
As you can see, solar batteries are a significant investment. Additionally, you will also need to account for installation costs, which are around £600 - £1,200, depending on your situation. Fortunately, there’s a sure way to avoid overspending on your new installation, namely comparing multiple quotes from solar battery installers.
Instead of wasting hours or even days of your free time contacting installers and requesting cost information yourself, simply fill in our 30-second form and we’ll do the rest. We’ll send you up to 4 free, non-binding quotes from local installers, so that you can easily compare prices and secure the best deal for your home!
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Solar panel and battery savings range from £440 to £1,005. Exactly how much you’ll save depends on factors such as your battery’s storage capacity size, electricity prices, and your home’s energy needs.
That said, financial incentives such as the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) allow for additional savings, as you can sell excess solar energy stored in your battery back to the grid. Take a look at the overview below:
Solar Battery Savings | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Household Size | Solar Panel System Size | Solar Battery Size | Average Annual SEG Savings | Estimated Annual Savings Solar Panels + Battery |
1 - 2 bedrooms | 2 - 3kW | 4 - 7kWh | £80 | £520 |
2 - 3 bedrooms | 4 - 5kW | 9 - 12kWh | £170 | £830 |
4 - 5 bedrooms | 6kW | 13 - 14kWh | £108 | £1,360 |
Additionally, the 0% VAT on renewable energy solutions in the UK also allows for significant savings when it comes to solar panel and battery installation costs. For an average-sized home, the savings can reach up to £2,850 for a solar panel installation and between £700 and £1,000 for a solar battery.
In the UK, you can store solar energy in a solar battery and later sell it back to the electricity grid via the Smart Export Guarantee. You can transfer your energy to the grid through different electricity suppliers, and they each have a different price they pay per kWh of electricity sold.
Currently, the best SEG tariff is 30.31p/kWh and the average rate is between 5 and 10p/kWh. For an average home, these figures can add up to £350 per year with the highest SEG tariff and about £85 per year with the average rate.
To answer the question: “Are solar batteries worth it?” it’s crucial to carefully weigh their pros and cons. We’ve listed the advantages and disadvantages of solar batteries below, so be sure to consider them in light of your personal situation to determine whether purchasing one is worth it for you.
The primary advantages of installing a solar battery are:
And now for the disadvantages of solar batteries:
Yes, getting a solar battery can be worth it. The main advantage is that it allows you to use solar energy even at night when your solar panels don’t generate any electricity.
This can decrease reliance on grid-based energy (and, by extension, fossil fuels), allowing you to reduce your carbon footprint and save up to £1,360 per year with solar panels and if you also sell the energy stored in your battery back to the grid.
If you still have questions about solar batteries, your best bet is to talk to a certified installer. They can help you find the best solar battery for your home and provide a safe and professional installation. Additionally, they can determine whether you qualify for any grants for potentially free solar panels or solar battery funding.
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Yes, a solar battery is worth it if you want to use the electricity your solar panels generate outside of energy production hours. This allows you to become more independent from the grid, which can help you lower your environmental impact, as well as your energy expenses.
Solar batteries typically have a lifespan of around 10 – 15 years on average. It’s important to consider their shorter lifespan, as one of the disadvantages of getting a solar battery is that you may require 2 batteries throughout your solar system’s 25-year lifespan.
The main advantage of solar batteries is that they allow you to reduce your electricity bills and your carbon footprint. That said, one of the biggest drawbacks of solar batteries is their high initial cost.
Sabria Schouten is a content writer who aims to make information about sustainable energy broadly available. She believes that knowledge about how to lead a greener lifestyle should be easily accessible to anyone.
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