When battery storage hit the market in 2017, the market said ‘Oww, what was that for?’. Then we all got on with our lives and we wrote this article to stress that the reason was so we could store our sun bestowed energy for later use – rather than exporting it back to the grid.
- Standalone batteries (without solar) – why?
- How does ‘battery-only’ storage work?
- Which batteries are suitable?
- What size battery do I need for my home?
- How much does battery storage cost to buy and install?
- Who can you buy battery storage from and what certification is required?
- Which energy tariff do I need with a home storage battery?
- How much can you save on your bills with home battery storage?
WARNING: Words combined together in this article may cause some offence. Singular words (like crap) may cause even more. This article will likely also cause significant savings on your home energy bills.
Battery storage technology is particularly valuable in places like the UK where mixed (or crap) weather conditions combined with short winter days restrict the time window that solar panels can generate energy.
Solar energy is produced instantaneously and unless it’s consumed immediately, then that energy just goes back to the grid.
Whilst you would be ‘paid’ for this energy export, the rate paid is typically always much less than the cost of buying it back when you need it.
As such, you’re lining the pockets of the energy companies. Pockets that already hold a pair of tweezers so they can pinch their legs trying not to laugh at your energy bill.
The lack of batteries in the solar world prior to 2017 was certainly an oversight. A very, very long-drawn oversight akin to Charles Dickens proofreading Katy Price’s autobiography and giving the OK.
But, batteries are here now and have fixed that problem.
Better yet, they’ve opened up a whole new world of green savings.
PS We offer MCS-certified battery installation nationwide. Simply answer these questions, get your fixed price and arrange your free design.
Standalone batteries (without solar) – why?
So, if you don’t have a solar system, then why would you install ‘just’ a battery?
In this article, we’ll cover how this works including:
What batteries are suitable?
What size battery do I need?
How much do batteries cost to buy and install?
Who can you buy battery storage from?
Suitable energy tariffs for home batteries
How much you can save with a home battery storage device?
How does ‘battery-only’ storage work?
Right now (if you don’t have solar and/or battery storage) – you’re buying energy at top whack.
Energy companies have a remarkable talent for always being able to get your pants, lower than your mood.
One of the reasons that you’re paying top whack – aside from funding healthy profits – is that you’re more than likely buying your energy in ‘peak times’.
‘Peak times’ essentially mean, the only time when typical humans would actually want to have a high energy usage – when you’re alive, awake and at home. Erm...how dare you?
Home storage batteries (or power banks) allow you to buy the energy ‘off-peak’ (essentially the dead of night) at super low prices - store that energy and use it to power your home during your peak time. To do this, all you'll need is a quality home battery and to switch to your energy company's most suitable smart tariff.
Another advantage to battery-only storage is that you can take your battery with you if you move house.
Explore a Battery Storage Case Study: Check out an insightful Q&A session featured in one of our detailed case studies on battery storage. Hear directly from a Heatable customer in the UK and gain valuable perspectives on their experience here.
The image above features a Tesla Powerwall 3 installation performed by our team of Tesla-certified installers at Heatable.
Which batteries are suitable?
Huge numbers of battery storage products exist, and the terminology can be confusing when a spade could just be called a spade. It's like referring to a four-fingered KitKat as one shy of a fist.
There are different brands, with different features but we’ll give you enough of an overview in this rundown to ensure your ankles actively repel your pants.
When choosing a battery, consider the following;
Capacity – How much energy can the battery store? This needs to be matched to your home’s energy consumption.
DOD – Depth of Discharge - (the percentage advertised storage capacity you can actually use) I.e. 100% DOD on a 15KWh listing is 15KWh (#math). If another option offers 90% DOD then you can only use 13.5KWh of the advertised 15KWh. Consider this nothing more than industry peacocking and marketing to increase the perceived value of the battery.
Charge (and discharge rate) – How much energy can be sent or pulled from the battery at any time. Aim for anything 5000w and above.
Coupling – for battery-only systems you can only have a battery which is, or can be 'AC coupled'. This means they don't need to be connected to a solar system to operate.
If you don’t want to work all this out manually then head here to use our battery matcher to get a bespoke selection for your home.
The most popular brands which meet the minimum requirements for the above are:
Alpha ESS’s Smile 5 and G5 range
Brand | Model | Capacity (KWh) | Charge/Discharge rate (KW) | Warranty | Price (estimated) | Inbuilt inverter |
Tesla | 13.5 | 5 | 10 years | £6995 | Yes | |
Tesla | 13.5 | 11.1 | 10 years | £7395 | Yes | |
Alpha | Smile 5 | 11.4 | 5 | 5 years | £3895 | No |
Alpha | G5 | 10.1 | 5 | 10 years | £4245 | No |
Enphase | 5.0 | 3.24 | 15 years | £2875 | Yes | |
GivEnergy | 13.5 | 6 | 12 years | £5500 | Yes |
What size battery do I need for my home?
This is less complicated than you may think.
Firstly, you need to know how much energy you currently use per year. Plus, any additional if you think it may increase – think upcoming EV purchases, hot tubs, or seriously powerful bedroom toys.
Divide this figure by 365 which will give you a rough daily usage (you’ll tend to use more in winter than summer).Ta-dah! Match this number to the capacity of your battery.
Also, consider the charge and discharge rate. Some cheap batteries offer large capacities but provide very low charge and discharge rates which makes the stored energy hard to access – like your energy company's customer service department.
How much does battery storage cost to buy and install?
Prices very much depend upon the battery you specify but expect to pay between £3,000 for an Alpha ESS 5KWh and up to £7,500 for a Tesla Powerwall 2.
Remember the aforementioned checklist for choosing a quality battery, because some batteries are good, some batteries are bad, and some batteries are so bad they're wearing G-Star jeans.
To get a fixed price to have a battery-only system installed, click here.
Who can you buy battery storage from and what certification is required?
Any competent electrician can install an AC-coupled battery storage system.
However, to access longer and more comprehensive product warranties – you can only use installers approved by the battery manufacturers.
Furthermore, if you’re looking to export energy (get paid for the privilege) or even access certain smart tariffs from utilities then you will have to also use an MCS-accredited installer.
With every AC-coupled battery rated above 3.6kw, you’ll also need approval from your DNO (district network operator).
At Heatable, we complete all the DNO applications and submissions on your behalf as part of our MCS process.
Which energy tariff do I need with a home storage battery?
To access the potential savings from your battery, you’ll need to switch to an energy tariff which offers low-rate, off-peak charging.
If you oversize your battery for future-proofing or to “play the system” by exporting energy at peak times (which you bought in off-peak times) then you’ll need a tariff which offers both low and peak exporting rates.
We generally recommend the Octopus Flux tariff – get in touch with the Heatable team to earn £50 energy credit.
Ease of use - or lack of
At Heatable, we're opting only to fit marketing-leading technology. A huge bonus of this tech is that once set up (installed and new tariff live) - your battery storage system is automated to store and sell energy at the best possible times, on the best possible terms.
It means your dreadful mathematic and negotiation skills can remain holstered. I once had a friend who haggled a street trader in Greece down to the RRP for a copy of Inception. The technology would have his back.
How much can you save on your bills with home battery storage?
On average, Heatable customers save around £800 per year. Savings are different for everyone and vary depending on how much energy you currently use and the tariff you select.
But, generally, the energy during off-peak times is around 60% less than the peak rates. You can also earn money from exporting at peak times or, taking part in the DFS scheme where you’re paid to not use the grid at set times.
It's also important you remember to revel in the joy that paying your energy company less, brings.
To get accurate savings, click here to get a personalised quote.
Join Thousands of Satisfied Customers:
We’re proud to be Tesla Certified Installers, MCS accredited and Which? Trusted installers with over 10,000 glowing reviews on Trustpilot. Discover why so many trust us for their solar panel & battery storage installations—visit our Reviews and Testimonials page and watch Phil’s video testimonial below.
Next Steps For Your Battery Journey:
When planning to install battery storage for your home, there are several important factors to consider. Make sure to refer to the following guides to help you make informed decisions:
To dive deeper into these topics, head over to our advice section, check out our YouTube channel for informative videos, or read a customer case study to see how others have benefited from their battery installation.
Get a Quote for Battery Storage Today
Without boasting you should get your battery storage installed with us, here's why:
Thousands of Happy Customers: We boast an average score of 4.9 on Trustpilot, outperforming the market leader.
Which? Trusted Trader: Heatable is proudly recognised as a Which? Trusted Trader.
Tesla Certified Installer: Heatable is proudly certified and approved by Tesla to install the Powerwall.
MCS Accredited: Our accreditation by the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) ensures high-quality standards.
Consumer Protection: As members of the HIES consumer code, we provide 2-year deposit protection.
Flexible Payment Options: Choose from multiple payment methods, including finance options.
Fixed Price Guarantee: Enjoy transparency with no hidden costs.
Save Your Quote: You can save your quote and decide later.
Bespoke Battery Quote Tool: Find out which battery is ideal for your home, here.
