Are you considering purchasing a solar battery, but you do not know how much that may cost you? We understand that the initial investment cost of solar batteries can be quite off putting as they are so high, but the benefits definitely outweigh the drawbacks for your solar system.
As the cost of living crisis and the energy crisis continue to rumble on, everyone is trying to find ways to save money, as well as avoid making unnecessary purchases. However, buying a solar battery could help lower your energy bills, provide a new source of income, and help your household become more environmentally friendly to boot. That doesn’t sound like such a waste of money now, does it?
In this article, we cover the key topics surrounding solar batteries, including: battery storage systems and how they work, the pros and cons of installing a battery, typical costs for a solar battery, recommended battery sizes to power a home, financial assistance or incentives to purchase a solar battery system, potential bills savings from battery storage, and how long a battery is expected to last.
All figures displayed throughout are estimates only. For an up-to-date quote, contact Effective Home today.
What Are Solar Batteries?
The primary goal of solar batteries is to store excess solar energy generated by your solar panels so that you can use that electricity at a later date. Solar panel systems that do not contain a solar battery must use the electricity generated instantly, which is an extreme disadvantage if you are not at home during that time period. But, with a battery, you can use this power when you need it or during time periods when your solar panels will not generate as much power. This could include the evenings, winter months, and cloudy days.
There are two main solar batteries that are used in residential properties, which are:
- Lithium-ion solar batteries: These are the most popular solar batteries to be used in residential properties as they are compact and have a high power rating. However they can be expensive and have a tendency to overheat.
- Lead-acid solar batteries: While lead-acid batteries have been around longer than lithium-ion batteries, they have a lower efficiency rating and lifespan. But they are cheaper than their lithium-ion counterparts.
What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Solar Batteries?
Like with any other purchase you may make, there are various advantages and disadvantages regarding a new solar battery storage system. Considering the extensive initial cost of battery storage, it is important to weigh up whether the technology will provide you with a good return on investment and whether it makes solar batteries worth it to you.
Pros and cons of solar batteries
| Pros | Cons |
| Reduce your energy bills: Due to the fact that batteries can help store solar power for you to use at times where you may not be able to utilise your solar power instantaneously, solar batteries can further reduce your energy bills. | Expensive investment: The high initial costs associated with solar batteries can be quite off-putting. |
| Minimise your carbon footprint: Solar panel systems on the whole are more environmentally friendly compared to traditional power generating means, that require the burning of fossil fuels. As a renewable energy source, stored energy from the sun greatly reduces your reliance on energy sources that negatively affect the environment. | Requires more space in your home: Solar panels themselves do not take up much room in your home as they are located on the roof, the same cannot be said for solar batteries. |
| Become less reliant on the National Grid: As you move towards greater energy independence, you will not be as vulnerable to power outages, power supply issues, and energy price increases. | You will need to purchase multiple solar batteries: Throughout your solar panel system’s 25 to 30 year lifecycle, you may need to purchase at least two solar batteries, as they are only predicted to last between 5 to 15 years. |
| Back-up power source: In addition to greater freedom, solar batteries also provide you with a back-up power source. This will protect you further if you were to have any issues with your solar panels. | Solar batteries require yearly inspections: While they are relatively low maintenance, you will need to have your battery inspected on an annual basis. |
| Utilise more of your solar power: Without the presence of a solar battery, if you are not fully utilising the energy produced during peak time periods then you are wasting a large amount of the electricity that your solar panel system is producing. |
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How Much Do Solar Batteries Cost?
Due to a variety of factors, there is no sure fire way to tell you how much battery storage will cost. It is important to note, however, that the price of solar batteries is currently on the decrease as they become more popular. The key influencing factors that can impact how much your solar battery costs, includes:
- The type of battery you wish to purchase.
- The brand or manufacturer of the battery.
- Key specs of the battery, including: total storage capacity, usable battery capacity, depth of discharge, efficiency, and power output.
- The predicted lifespan of the specific solar battery.
- The warranty attached to the battery, and what it covers.
- Any transportation or installation costs related to the solar battery
While there is no quick and easy way to tell you how much a given battery will cost you, we have attached the table below that will give you a general idea on how much a battery may cost (on average) when taking into consideration the size of the battery:
Prices of solar batteries depending on size
| Battery size | Average solar battery price range |
| Less than 1 kWh | £230 to £300 |
| 3 kWh | £2,500 to £4,000 |
| 5 kWh | £3,500 to £5,000 |
| 10 kWh | £5,000 to £7,500 |
| 15 kWh | £7,500 to £10,000 |
| 20 kWh | £10,000 to £12,500 |
How Much Does A Lithium-ion Solar Battery Cost?
As we have mentioned previously, lithium-ion solar batteries typically are the most popular option when it comes to purchasing a solar battery for a residential property. While there are plenty of variable factors that can influence the final cost of a solar battery, we have included the table below to give you a general picture regarding how much a lithium-ion solar battery may cost you:
Lithium Ion Batteries Cost
| Solar battery’s usable capacity | Estimated cost |
| 3 to 4 kWh | From £3,410 |
| 4 to 7 kWh | From £4,288 |
| 7 to 9 kWh | From £5,185 |
| 9 to 13.5 kWh | From £5,920 |
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What Size Solar Battery Do I Need?
There are a variety of different factors that will impact what size solar battery your household will require. Some of the key factors that could influence your final decision include:
- How many people live on your property.
- The size of your house.
- How much sun exposure your property receives, and whether there are any shaded areas.
- How much electricity your household requires.
- Your budget.
- The location of your home.
The table below will provide you with a general idea regarding what battery size you may need based on the size of your property.
Solar battery sizes by property size
| Size of your property | Recommended solar battery size |
| 1 bedroom | 2 kWh |
| 2 bedrooms | 4 kWh |
| 3 bedrooms | 8 kWh |
| 4 bedrooms | 9.7 kWh |
Can I Get A Solar Battery For Free?
If purchasing a battery is out of your price range, then do not worry as there are government grants available to help you. Regarding solar batteries, and solar panel systems as a whole, the UK government’s ECO4 scheme may be able to help you.
Announced in April 2023, the ECO4 scheme runs until March 2026 and has the primary aim to help improve the energy efficiency ratings of homes throughout the United Kingdom. In addition, the scheme also aims to reduce carbon emissions and electricity bills for some of the most vulnerable households in our community.
In order to be eligible for the ECO4 scheme, you must:
- Either own the property you reside in or privately rent the property.
- Have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of D or lower.
- At least one member of your household must receive means-tested benefits.
- And to specifically receive financial aid to purchase solar panels or a solar battery you must live in an all-electric home where you cannot install either a biomass boiler or join the district heat network.
If you do not qualify for this scheme, then don’t forget to look into the ECO4 LA Flex scheme. The LA Flex initiative is essentially a branch of the ECO4 scheme, but local authorities are given the power to determine who is eligible.
How Much Money Can I Save With A Solar Battery?
One of the biggest promoted benefits of purchasing battery systems is the fact that it can save you money on your energy bills, and most solar panel batteries certainly will. But just how much is that saving worth?
Without specific information relating to your household, it is virtually impossible to give you an exact number when it comes to bill savings from solar storage. There are many variables that can influence the final saving amount, which itself could vary month to month. Here is a selection of these key factors that could influence how much money you could save by using solar batteries:
- How much it costs you to have the battery system installed.
- The type of solar panel battery you opt to have installed, as well as the existing solar panel system (if applicable).
- How efficiently you use the power generated by your solar panels.
- How much electricity from the National Grid was costing you, which will vary over time and depending on the time of year.
- How long the battery lasts for.
- Whether you have to spend extra money fixing your battery during its lifespan.
Additionally, your solar battery can actually make you money. By signing up to the Smart Export Guarantee scheme you will be able to sell any excess electricity your solar panels generate.
While it is nearly impossible to predict how much money a battery can save you without any specific details regarding your household’s circumstances, the table below should provide you with a general idea.
Solar battery annual savings
| Solar battery size | Average predicted annual savings |
| 4 kWh | £385.36 |
| 8 kWh | £642.26 |
| 9.5 kWh | £899.17 |
How Long Do Solar Batteries Last For?
As we have previously mentioned, most solar batteries come with an average predicted lifespan of 5 to 15 years depending on the type of battery purchased. This is notably significantly shorter than the average lifespan of solar panels themselves, which currently stands at around 25 to 30 years. However, specific types of solar PV systems have been known to have predicted life spans of up to 40 years.
Taking into consideration the rather steep costs of a solar battery setup, it is reassuring for purchasers to know that they are likely to last for a considerable time. But, due to the difference between the longevity of the battery and the panels, you will more than likely need to purchase multiple batteries during your solar panel system’s lifetime. This will come at an extra cost, if you wish to maintain the same level of power optimisation.
Solar Battery Cost Summary
Now that you know what size solar battery you may require, as well as how much that would likely cost you, do you think purchasing a battery is a smart investment for your household? Will it improve the return you get from your solar PV system?
While the initial costs relating to batteries are quite high, especially taking into account installation costs as well, we believe the overarching savings you will make regarding your energy bills makes it more than worth it. And that is not to mention the extra income you could make by selling excess solar electricity to the National Grid under the Smart Export Guarantee.
Below, we have broken down the process to help you figure out what solar battery size you need, how much that could cost, and the potential savings you may receive.
First, you need to determine what size battery your household requires (keep in mind usable and storage capacity when selecting):
- 1 bedroom property: 2 kWh solar battery
- 2 bedroom property: 4 kWh solar battery
- 3 bedroom property: 8 kWh solar battery
- 4 bedroom property: 9.7 kWh solar battery
Now that you know what size solar battery you may need, the prices below will give you a general idea as to how much the battery may cost you:
- Less than 1 kWh solar battery: May cost you between £230 and £300.
- 3 kWh solar battery: May cost you between £2,500 to £4,000.
- 5 kWh solar battery: May cost you between £3,500 to £5,000.
- 10 kWh solar battery: May cost you between £5,000 to £7,500.
- 15 kWh solar battery: May cost you between £7,500 to £10,000.
Finally, the prices below will give you a general sense as to how much money your solar battery could save you:
- 4 kWh solar battery: Could save you £386.36 annually.
- 8 kWh solar battery: Could save you £642.26 annually.
- 9.5 kWh solar battery: Could save you £899.17 annually.
If you are ready to take the first step towards purchasing your new solar battery, then contact Effective Home today. Our solar battery experts can help you purchase the right battery for your household to help maximise your savings and to also help you reduce your carbon footprint.
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