Solar Battery Storage

Everyone knows solar panels work during the day, but if you want to use your stored solar energy when the sun’s not shining, you also need battery storage. Home batteries allow you to power your home 24/7, making you far less reliant on the grid. With most batteries, you’ll also get blackout protection, where you’ll continue to have power in the event of a grid outage.

Home battery sizes vary from tiny (3kW; don’t bother!) to substantial (50kWh). Most households are choosing between 10-40kWh of storage now that the Federal government battery rebate and NSW government VPP rebate are available. These subsidies make more battery storage much more cost-effective than it used to be.

As far as size goes, a 10kWh battery can be enough to cover an average household’s usage from late afternoon until the next day when solar panels start producing again. But, if you have an all-electric home, 10kWh is unlikely to be enough to cover early-morning and late-afternoon/evening heating and cooling.

If you want enough storage to cover you both day and night, and have some surplus to send to the grid when it’s under stress (see info on Virtual Power Plants), think about installing more storage capacity now.

In a recent webinar, VPP provider Amber Electric used real-life data from existing solar and battery storage systems to highlight that having more solar and storage capacity will give you a quicker ROI on your battery storage investment than having fewer batteries.

Of course, budget is going to play a role in determining what size battery storage system you install. You can get a low-interest Green Loan if you’re keen to install batteries, but your funds are allocated elsewhere or you’re not in a position to commit to the entire upfront purchase.

The Energy Experts take the hard work out of installing a solar battery storage system, by taking the time to understand your current and future energy needs and properly sizing and professionally installing a safe & reliable battery storage system. We typically organise a pre-installation site visit to determine the best battery placement to comply with Australian Standards and ensure the safety and longevity of your battery.