What is a home battery and how does it work?
How a home battery works, when it pays off, what capacity you need and how it pairs with your panels and net metering.
A home battery stores the power your panels generate during the day, so you use it in the evening instead of feeding it back. You rely less on the grid.
How a home battery works
During the day your panels often generate more than you use. Instead of feeding that surplus back, you charge the battery with it. Once the sun is gone, you use the stored power for your lights, cooking or the TV.
The battery talks to your inverter and meter cupboard. A smart system charges when you generate and discharges when you use power, with nothing for you to do.
When does a home battery pay off?
The less net metering gives you, the more attractive it becomes to keep your own power. A battery pays off most if you use a lot in the evening, have a heat pump or EV charger, or want to be more self-sufficient.
Whether it adds up financially depends on your use, the size of your battery and your energy tariff. We are happy to run the numbers with you.
Capacity and power
Capacity, in kilowatt-hours, says how much power the battery holds. Power, in kilowatts, says how fast it can charge and discharge. A battery that is too small runs empty quickly in the evening. One that is too big never fills. The right size depends on your use.
Dynamic charging
With a dynamic energy contract you charge the battery when the electricity price is low, often midday or overnight, and use it when the price spikes during the evening peak. The battery follows the hourly rates on the power exchange to do this. That creates an extra way to save, completely separate from your solar panels.
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