Having a solar battery means that you'll use more of the electricity you generate … Contact online >>
Having a solar battery means that you''ll use more of the electricity you generate
Generate your own electricity with a solar PV system
With a new solar setup, including a solar battery, you can drastically reduce your electricity bill
Adding solar panels to your roof space can bring you huge savings, but what is less commonly recognised is that you can add a solar battery to your solar panel system to maximise its potential. But how much do solar batteries cost and are they a cost-effective investment?
With a wide range of battery options available with differing prices, your budget may be one of your main considerations. Additionally, what you require from your solar batteries – whether you are just looking to use it as battery backup, or you are at the other end of the scale and looking to use solar batteries to go completely off-grid – will all have a bearing on your solar battery costs.
Solar panel batteries are relatively new technology and their uptake isn’t yet as widespread as solar panels themselves, meaning that there are a lot of solar systems in operation in the UK that do not yet include a solar battery. However, as the use of solar batteries becomes more commonplace, the price (much like it did with solar panels) will fall, making them a more affordable option.
As solar batteries allow homes and businesses to store energy by day that can be used later, this brings savings in energy bills and a greater degree of energy independence since less electricity is required from the National Grid. These bill savings can be significant and enough to make homes and businesses consider making the investment in solar batteries.
Solar battery storage systems aren’t cheap and the typical cost is anything between £1,200 and £10,000, depending on the battery you choose. Type, brand, capacity, efficiency, depth of discharge, and longevity are just some of the factors that will impact solar battery price.
The most commonly used solar batteries are either lithium-ion or lead-acid. Li-on batteries are the more expensive option but are generally the favoured option as they are compact and have better efficiency and depth of discharge (i.e more of the stored energy within the battery can be used without negatively impacting on the battery life).
Lead-acid batteries are a cheaper solar battery option, and though they have lower lifespan than lithium-ion batteries, still have a use in some solar setups.
Below you can find the average cost of lithium-ion and lead-acid batteries. Remember, this is just to give you an idea about the cost you might pay. All of the factors we’ll cover throughout this post, from battery brand to capacity, depth of discharge to efficiency will ALL affect the final cost of any solar battery you purchase.
Solar batteries can in most cases be added to an existing solar panel system, though it will depend on the specification of your solar PV system. If your solar panels are a significant number of years old then this may limit your options when retro-fitting a solar storage battery.
Typically, solar customers will have a solar battery installed at the same time as their solar panels, and this can reduce the costs involved. ESE Solar will ensure that the solar panel and battery combination chosen will be one that works well together, often from the same manufacturer.
For small households with little electricity demand, a smaller solar battery may be sufficient for their needs, but for a property with larger demand, or even looking to go off-grid, the battery requirements will be much larger.
Your solar battery is in part going to depend on the size of your solar array. There’s little point installing a huge storage capacity solar battery if you don’t have solar panels sufficient enough to charge it effectively. Equally a large solar array would be wasted if there wasn’t sufficient electricity demand or batteries to store the large excess solar energy produced.
Generally, a larger property and household looking to make the most of solar battery storage will need a larger solar array and battery, or even multiple solar batteries. This inevitably will have an impact on solar panel battery costs.
In a typical household setting, you’ll generally only need one solar battery system, but this could be made up of one or several batteries to ensure you can store solar electricity generated throughout the day.
While you may be tempted to buy an overly large battery system, you might end up paying too much for a capacity that you simply aren’t going to use.
Since the majority of new solar installations will involve solar batteries being installed at the same time as the solar panels, your overall solar budget will have a bearing on what you choose. While you will want a solar power system that meets your energy needs, it will still need to be within your budget.
You will need a system that combines a solar battery that works in harmony with the rest of the solar setup, so there’s little point spending most of your budget on your solar battery when the panels just aren’t able to produce enough of the energy you are wanting to store!
If your budget is limited then a lead-acid solar battery may be your preferred solar battery option, but it’s worth bearing in mind that the efficiency and lifespan of these is less, so you’ll likely need to replace it far sooner than you would a lithium-ion battery. In some cases, spending more upfront for a battery with longer lifespan may be the better option, but this will depend on your personal circumstances.
A typical DoD for a lead-acid battery is around 50%, whereas a Li-ion will typically have DoD of around 80%+. This means that more than 80% of the battery capacity can be discharged without impacting on the health and lifespan of the battery.EfficiencyEfficiency of a solar battery is a measure of how much of the solar energy that is being transferred to the battery is actually able to be stored. The process of storing the energy does result in some energy loss during the process.
Lithium-ion batteries are around 90-95%, making them more efficient than lead-acid batteries (around 80-85% efficiency). Li-ion batteries charge faster too, so may be worth the additional cost.CapacityBattery capacity is measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh) and is an indication of how much energy a battery is capable of storing. Solar battery capacities range from 1kWh to 16kWh, though it is possible to install more than one battery to increase capacity.
A larger battery capacity will only ever be able to be utilised fully if you have a solar array of adequate size. For those intending to go off-grid and relying solely on solar for their electricity needs, larger capacity batteries of greater cost will be required.WarrantySome of the best solar battery brands will also provide the best warranties, but this is inevitably reflected in the cost. Some solar manufacturers provide performance warranties that guarantee a battery capacity or efficiency level over a set number of years andSome solar brands are well established and reliable as battery manufacturers. Their solid reputation in the solar industry marks them out as trusted brands and people will often be more willing to pay more for their solar products.
If your budget is somewhat limited then some of the pricier and solid named brands could be out of your price range. With these budget considerations in mind, a cheaper brand may prove the cost-effective option.0% VAT on solar installations0% VAT on measures such as solar installations, including batteries, has been applicable since April 2022, making the cost much more affordable. The no VAT to pay rate runs until March 2027 at which point the 5% rate of VAT that was applicable previously will apply once more.
A final thing to consider that’s related to solar battery cost is the amount you have to pay for the installation, too. Installing solar batteries adds to the total cost because it is a job that requires experts in order to ensure it is installed safely and correctly.
The cost of solar battery installation, or a complete solar panel system, will vary based on a variety of factors. Things such as battery location and complexity of installation will affect how much we charge. You might also require additional equipment or slight modifications in order to ensure your solar battery is installed safely.
Incorrect installation can lead to poor performance, as the right connections and location of your solar battery need to be carefully managed to ensure it is best placed to perform optimally.
When we provide a quote for the cost of your solar battery this will include the cost of installing them, so we always provide a comprehensive quote when you work with ESE Solar.
The cost of going solar and including a solar battery requires a significant investment, we get that, and you could be forgiven for wondering whether solar batteries are worth it.
Undeniably, solar batteries maximise the potential return from a solar investment by enabling electricity to be stored by day and used when you need it. This generates significant electricity bill savings by reducing the energy you need to draw from the electricity suppliers.
The savings don’t just end there as a solar battery provides you with the opportunity to make money from any excess electricity that your solar panels generate. Schemes like the Smart Export Guarantee allow domestic solar producers to sell electricity that they don’t use to the National Grid. To get the best return from exporting excess solar electricity generated, high efficiency solar panels and batteries are recommended, though these inevitably come at higher cost.
Solar battery costs are likely to fall as more and more households adopt the technology and this makes it a more enticing and cost-effective option. While your budget may be one of your main considerations, you’ll need to weigh up whether spending more for a solar battery with greater reliability, storage capacity, efficiency and most-importantly lifespan is worth it to you. ESE will help you get that decision right.
It is worth remembering that whatever solar battery you choose will enhance your solar system set up and bring you bill savings year on year. The best solar battery option for you will be the one that provides the right balance of storage versus cost so that you get payback on your battery system in a decent amount of time.
When you add in the fact that solar is a renewable source of energy, this is a positive for the environment and your overall carbon footprint. For those who are keen to save money and reduce the impact their household has on the planet, most solar batteries and battery systems will prove a price worth paying.
At ESE we calculate bespoke proposals for all of our clients based on their battery requirements. We don’t hard sell or try to provide you with a solar battery system that isn’t right for your home. Instead, we take a look at your current solar array (or we help design one based on your needs) and then see which solar battery fits best.
About Ese solar batteries
As the photovoltaic (PV) industry continues to evolve, advancements in Ese solar batteries have become critical to optimizing the utilization of renewable energy sources. From innovative battery technologies to intelligent energy management systems, these solutions are transforming the way we store and distribute solar-generated electricity.
When you're looking for the latest and most efficient Ese solar batteries for your PV project, our website offers a comprehensive selection of cutting-edge products designed to meet your specific requirements. Whether you're a renewable energy developer, utility company, or commercial enterprise looking to reduce your carbon footprint, we have the solutions to help you harness the full potential of solar energy.
By interacting with our online customer service, you'll gain a deep understanding of the various Ese solar batteries featured in our extensive catalog, such as high-efficiency storage batteries and intelligent energy management systems, and how they work together to provide a stable and reliable power supply for your PV projects.
