What is Solar Battery Storage and How Does it Work?
If you’re looking for ways to make your home more energy-efficient, you’ve likely come across the term solar battery storage. A battery is an essential addition if you want to maximise the savings from your solar panels. But what exactly is solar battery storage, and how does it work?
To help you understand, we’ve put together this quick article. It explains what solar battery storage is, how it works, and the benefits it can offer you.
What is Solar Battery Storage?
Solar battery storage is a major step toward energy independence. It allows you to store electricity and use it whenever you need it most.
For instance, your solar panels generate electricity during the day, but your energy use might be higher in the evening. Without a battery, any excess electricity goes unused or is sent back to the grid through the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG). With a battery, that extra energy is stored and available for use later, ensuring none of your clean energy goes to waste.
By installing a solar battery, you can cut your energy bills by over 30%, on top of the savings you already make by generating your own solar power. That’s a significant reduction in costs!
How Do Solar Batteries Work?
Solar panels generate electricity only when exposed to sunlight, which presents a challenge at night when your energy needs continue.
Typically, you would buy electricity from the grid during these times. However, with a solar battery storage system, you can store the excess electricity generated during the day and use it when needed. The battery converts DC electricity into AC power, making it accessible for household use.
Here’s how the process works:
- During the day, your solar panels charge the battery with excess energy.
- When sunlight is no longer available, your system draws energy from the battery instead of the grid.
- On some days, your battery may reach full charge. Any surplus energy can be sold back to the grid through the SEG, earning you extra income.
- If your battery is depleted, your home will switch to using electricity from the grid.
As long as your solar panels and battery storage system are working in sync, this process continues seamlessly for years, requiring little to no effort on your part.
The Benefits of Solar Battery Storage
Many homeowners are adding solar battery storage to their solar panel systems, either during the initial installation or as a retrofit. The benefits are clear:
1. Maximise Your Solar Energy Usage
With a solar battery, you can use 100% of the electricity your panels generate rather than sending excess power back to the grid. Your stored energy is available at night or during cloudy periods, keeping your home powered by renewable energy around the clock.
2. Lower Your Electricity Bills
A solar battery helps you avoid buying electricity during peak hours when rates are highest. If you’re not home during the day, your battery will store solar power so you can use it in the evenings, reducing your reliance on the grid.
Additionally, upcoming time-of-use tariffs will allow you to charge your battery during off-peak hours (when electricity is cheapest) and use it during expensive peak hours.
3. Earn Money from Your Energy Provider
Some energy providers offer net metering, where you can sell excess energy stored in your battery back to the grid when demand is high. This can provide an additional income stream while ensuring your home remains energy-efficient.
Certain companies may also pay you to use your battery for grid energy storage, another way to maximize your investment.
4. Achieve Energy Independence and Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
With a solar battery, you can significantly reduce your reliance on the National Grid, ensuring that your home is powered entirely by renewable energy. This shift helps lower your carbon footprint, potentially reducing CO2 emissions by 1.6 tonnes or more per year.
When Should You Install a Solar Battery System?
If you already have solar panels, adding a battery storage system is a smart move. Retrofitting a battery is straightforward, but if you’re planning a new solar panel installation, it’s best to include a battery at the same time for cost savings and system efficiency.
Choosing the Right Solar Battery Storage System
As solar technology advances, more battery storage options are available, giving you flexibility in terms of pricing and features.
There are many other battery storage systems on the market, and we’re happy to help you find the best option for your needs.
If you’re interested in adding solar battery storage to your home, or if you’d like a full solar panel installation with battery storage, Custom Renewables can help. Get in touch here for a free consultation and quote!
* All energy and performance claims are based on our own energy assessments and live monitoring of energy consumption.
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