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Are Solar Batteries Worth It in the UK? (2024 Guide)
- Solar batteries in the UK cost between £8,000 and £10,000 for an average 2 - 3 bedroom home, depending on the storage capacity size you require.
- While they are a significant investment, they can help you save up to £170 a year with an average Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) tariff, on top of the annual savings you can expect from your solar panels.
- Solar batteries are worth it, as they allow you to enjoy free, green energy even in moments when your solar panels aren’t actively producing electricity. As a result, you can reduce your carbon footprint and your energy expenses further.
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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Why use a solar battery?
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 |
Average costs of solar batteries
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!
- Quotes from local engineers
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- Save up to £915 per year
Solar battery savings
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.
Solar batteries and the Smart Export Guarantee
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.
Advantages and disadvantages of solar batteries
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:
- Increased energy independence: Since you’ll be able to store excess solar energy, you’ll be able to enjoy it even if you’re not home during peak energy production periods. At the same time, you can use your free, green solar electricity even at night, when solar panels don’t produce any energy. As a result, you won’t have to rely on the electricity grid.
- Reduced carbon footprint: Some of the electricity supplied by the grid is still produced by burning fossil fuels, which are harmful to the environment. By storing solar energy in a battery and using it when your solar panels aren’t generating electricity, you can reduce your household’s reliance on the grid and, in turn, lower your carbon footprint.
- Notable savings on your energy bills: You can sell the electricity stored in your battery back to the grid through the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG). With an average SEG tariff, you can increase your annual savings from your solar panels by up to £170. Combined with your solar panel savings, this can add up to £830 per year, depending on the size of your solar system.
- Backup power in case of outages: In case of power outages, you can easily switch to your solar battery for electricity. Depending on your battery’s storage capacity size, you can enjoy backup power for several hours (even 24 hours or more in some cases).
- Potentially increased home value: Solar panels and batteries can be attractive features to people buying a new home. So, if you’re thinking of selling your home in the future, you may be able to benefit financially from your investment in solar energy. A study by Solar Energy UK has found that solar energy solutions can increase home value by 0.9 - 2% on average.
And now for the disadvantages of solar batteries:
- High initial cost: Solar batteries can be quite expensive, especially if you need one with a large storage capacity. Prices range from £2,500 to £10,000+ and there aren’t many grants or other financial incentives that provide funding for solar batteries specifically.
- Space requirements: While solar battery units are fairly compact, you will need to make sure that you have enough space in your home to accommodate one. Some popular installation spots are garages, basements, or utility closets. So, consider if you have the necessary space for your battery before investing in it.
- Relatively low lifespan: With a limited lifespan of 10 - 15 years, you may need to invest in 2 solar batteries over your solar panel system’s lifetime, which spans around 25 years.
Is a solar battery worth it?
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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