Home batteries are amazing. Spoiler; there aren't many cons.
According to the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS), solar panels are now a feature in over one million UK households, with their popularity fueling a parallel rise in the adoption of storage batteries.
Storage batteries are increasingly becoming a staple in the UK, and not just for homes with solar panels. Even without a solar setup, these batteries offer financial benefits by allowing homeowners to use electricity from the grid during off-peak times when it's cheaper.
However, are storage batteries a perfect solution? In this post, we'll explore the advantages and disadvantages of incorporating storage batteries into your home energy system, providing a balanced view of whether they truly meet the hype.
PS We offer MCS-certified battery installation nationwide. Simply answer these questions, get your fixed price and arrange your free design.
What is Battery Storage?
Battery storage can be used for both homes with and without solar panels.
In the context of homes with solar panels:
When sunlight strikes the surface of a solar panel, it generates direct current (DC) electricity. This DC can either flow directly to an inverter, which converts it to alternating current (AC) for home use or be stored in a solar battery for later use.
Solar batteries typically offer a usable capacity ranging from 4kWh to 9kWh. "Usable capacity" refers to the amount of energy that can be effectively stored and utilised from the battery without causing harm or shortening its lifespan.
For example, a solar battery with a total capacity of 10 kWh and a usable capacity of 8 kWh can safely discharge 8 kWh of energy without risking damage or efficiency loss, reserving the remaining 2 kWh to maintain battery health.
Understanding usable capacity is crucial when selecting a battery for your solar system, as it dictates the amount of energy available during periods of low solar output or high demand.
Batteries with higher usable capacities can store more energy, offering greater independence from the grid and potential savings.
Given that the average UK household consumes about 8kWh of electricity daily, most solar batteries can provide roughly half to a full day's worth of energy.
When it's time to use the stored energy, the DC from the battery is sent to the inverter, where it's converted to AC, making it suitable for household use or even for sale back to the National Grid.
For homes without solar panels:
An increasing number of households are choosing to install battery storage systems, even in the absence of solar panels.
But what's driving this trend?
A key factor is the presence of smart meters, which allow homeowners to strategically charge their batteries during off-peak hours.
This typically happens overnight, when energy prices drop, offering significant cost savings on electricity. This smart strategy not only maximises financial efficiency but also enhances energy autonomy.
Related guides:
Pros And Cons Of Battery Storage
Home battery technology has seen significant advancements over the past decade, leading to a surge in consumer interest and adoption. The demand for home battery storage is now at an all-time high.
So, what benefits are these early adopters enjoying? Here's a look at the key advantages driving the popularity of home batteries:
Benefits of battery storage with solar panels
You will be able to use more of the energy your solar panels generate
Installing a battery storage device to your solar system is a quick way to both maximise your return on investment and, consume more of the energy your solar system produces.
When you install a solar battery, you’ll also install something called a CT (current transformer) around the supply to your home (this is super simple to do).
This CT clamp is the battery's eyes on the system, if the clamp spots energy being exported to the grid then the system will activate and recover it into the storage cell.
According to the MCS self-consumption tables, without a solar battery, the average installation will only consume around 20-35% of all the energy generated.
The balance of anything not consumed by the household will be exported to the grid.
With a home solar battery storage system, MCS estimates that between 57-87% of all the energy produced will be consumed by the household. With a larger battery, this could be 100%.
Annual solar production | Annual energy used in the home | Consumption of Solar PV | Consumption with Solar PV & 6KWh battery | Consumption of Solar PV & 12KWh battery |
2100 kWh to 2,399 kWh | 3,000 kWh to 3,499 kWh | 30% | 81% | 87% |
3300 kWh to 3,599 kWh | 3,000 kWh to 3,499 kWh | 23% | 64% | 70% |
4200 kWh to 4,499 kWh | 3,000 kWh to 3,499 kWh | 20% | 57% | 60% |
Heatable are an MCS-approved installer, get your quote for solar with a battery system here.
Draw less energy from the grid and save more
You can monetise the surplus energy produced by your solar panels through the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), although this should be considered a less favourable option financially.
The SEG typically compensates between 3 and 8 pence per kWh, while the cost of purchasing electricity from the grid can exceed 33 pence per kWh.
This disparity means that you could be paying up to 11 times more for the energy you buy from the grid than what you earn from selling your excess solar power.
Consequently, it's often more economically sensible to store the surplus energy in a battery system rather than exporting it back to the grid. Utilising stored energy reduces reliance on the grid and can provide greater savings, especially during peak pricing periods.
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.
Benefits of battery storage without solar panels
You don’t need to have solar to benefit from the savings available by installing a home battery system.
Batteries are now smart controlled and therefore, can be programmed to charge up at night when clean, renewable energy is in abundance from the grid.
This green energy is also about 3 times cheaper than the peak rates of the daytime when demand is at its highest.
Use your smart home energy storage battery to hoover up this cheap energy and your energy bill could drop by up to 75%.
It also means you can take advantage of flexible energy tariffs. For example, Octopus Energy's current SEG rate currently stands at 12p per kWh, which is one of the best rates available.
For an in-depth analysis of premier battery storage systems, consult our best solar battery guide.
Cons Of Battery Storage
Battery technology has improved rapidly over recent years however, there are still some limitations to battery storage systems. These are –
Performance in cold weather is reduced by up to 50%. Most modern battery chemistry is phosphate-based which, in very cold temperatures can reduce the performance of charge and discharge rates. Tesla Powerwall 2’s & Powewall 3’s have built-in thermal management so don’t suffer from this
Battery performance degrades over time, expect about 80% of your usable capacity in 10 years
Some cheaper products offer very poor charge and discharge rates, Heatable products have a minimum transfer rate of 3kw, get your quote here
Popular battery storage systems, as voted by Heatable customers:
Brand | Model | Storage Capacity (KWh) | Charge/Discharge rate (KW) | Score out of 10 |
Tesla | Powerwall 2 | 13.5 | 5 | 9.5 |
Tesla | Powerwall 3 | 13.5 | 11.01 | 9.8 |
GivEnergy | All In One | 13.5 | 6 | 8.9 |
Alpha | Smile 5 | 5.7-17.1 | 5 | 9.4 |
Alpha | G3/G5 | 3.8-20.2 | 3.68-5 | 9.5 |
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.
