Solar Panels and Battery Storage: Is a Combined System Right for Your Home?

If you're considering installing solar panels, chances are battery storage has also entered the conversation.

Solar panels can help you generate your own electricity, while a battery gives you the opportunity to store some of that energy to use later. But does that mean every home installing solar should automatically have a battery too?

Not necessarily.

At Primis Renewables, we believe the right renewable energy system should be designed around your property and the way you actually use energy. Here's what you need to consider when deciding whether solar panels and battery storage are right for your home.

How Do Solar Panels and Battery Storage Work Together?

Solar photovoltaic (PV) panels generate electricity from daylight.

When your panels are generating electricity, that energy can be used to power your home. But the amount being generated won't always perfectly match the amount you're using at that particular moment.

Imagine a typical weekday.

Your solar panels may be generating plenty of electricity during the middle of the day, but if everyone is at work or school, your home's electricity demand could be relatively low.

Then everyone comes home.

The oven goes on. The washing machine starts. TVs, lights and other appliances are being used – just as solar generation begins to reduce later in the day.

A battery can help bridge that gap.

What Does a Solar Battery Do?

Battery storage allows energy to be stored so that it can potentially be used at another time.

Instead of relying solely on electricity as it is generated, a compatible battery system can give you greater flexibility over when that energy is available to your household.

In simple terms:

Solar panels generate electricity. Battery storage can help you make more use of that energy at times that suit you.

When Can Battery Storage Be Particularly Useful?

Every household is different, but your daily routine is an important consideration.

If your home is relatively empty during the daytime but your electricity consumption increases significantly during the evening, battery storage may be worth exploring.

Alternatively, someone who works from home and uses a large proportion of their electricity while their solar panels are generating may have a very different energy profile.

Other factors to consider include:

• your overall electricity consumption;

• when you use the most electricity;

• the proposed size of your solar PV system;

• how much electricity the system is expected to generate;

• your electricity tariff;

• your budget; and

• what you ultimately want your renewable energy system to achieve.

This is why simply asking "Do I need a battery?" isn't quite the right question.

A better question is:

"Would battery storage improve the way my particular household uses the electricity my solar panels generate?"

Do You Need a Battery to Have Solar Panels?

No.

Solar PV can operate without battery storage and many homes have solar panels without a battery.

Likewise, deciding against battery storage today doesn't necessarily mean ruling it out forever.

Depending on your system, it may be possible to add battery storage at a later date. If this is something you're considering, it's worth discussing your future plans when your solar PV system is being designed.

What About Charging a Battery from the Grid?

Modern home battery systems aren't necessarily limited to storing electricity generated by solar panels.

Depending on the system and your electricity tariff, there may also be opportunities to charge a battery from the grid at particular times and use that stored electricity later.

This makes understanding your tariff and consumption pattern even more important when considering the potential benefits of battery storage.

Solar and Battery Storage Should Start With Your Home – Not the Technology

It's easy to become overwhelmed by specifications, battery capacities, panels and technical terminology when you first start researching renewable energy.

But we'd recommend starting somewhere much simpler:

How much electricity does your household use, and when do you use it?

Once that's understood, you can start looking at the renewable energy technology that best fits those requirements.

At Primis Renewables, we take the time to understand your property and your energy needs before recommending a solution.

Whether that's solar PV, battery storage or a combination of the two, the objective is to design a system that makes sense for your home.

Thinking About Solar Panels and Battery Storage?

Primis Renewables is a family-run renewable energy specialist based in Shropshire.

If you're considering solar panels, battery storage or a combined system, our team can assess your property and talk you through the options available.

Get in touch with Primis Renewables to arrange a no-obligation conversation about your home.