With many households shifting to renewable sources of energy, interest in solar system batteries has increasingly moved into the spotlight.
Being able to store unused solar for night-time use can reduce reliance on the grid and allow a household to become more independent. While a sought-after option, are solar batteries truly the best choice for your home? Here’s what you need to know.
Price
A big factor in determining whether or not you should add solar system batteries to your home is your available budget.
Like solar systems, solar batteries for homes require a sizeable upfront investment. Unlike solar systems, batteries are still relatively expensive which can increase the payback period beyond the typical warranty of 10 years. As such, solar batteries may not be economically viable for the majority of households, especially when focusing purely on the ROI.
As solar battery development continues and changes are made to the electricity market, prices may drop to more affordable levels.
Despite the higher price tags, solar batteries can still be a good choice for certain homeowners.
The feed-in tariff
Households with solar panels installed will generally be able to make use of a feed-in tariff, a credit paid for energy exported back into the grid. However, the rate is set by your electricity provider and is generally not as high as it costs to buy energy from the grid itself. This makes it more valuable to store and use the energy yourself rather than exporting it to the grid.
Are solar batteries for home viable?
The answer depends on your individual needs and power usage. While solar batteries may not be economical for most households, they may be suitable for homes with higher electricity usage.
High Energy Consumption
Larger electricity demands increase the potential savings by using stored power rather than buying it from the grid. Keep in mind that higher energy consumption will require a solar battery with higher capacity.
For assistance in determining the optimum solar battery capacity, please reach out to our experts at Solar System.
Off grid solar batteries
A solar battery can be an ideal way to reduce your reliance on the electricity grid, particularly effective in remote locations. Independence from the electricity grid can be a tempting proposition but systems involving off grid solar batteries tend to be more expensive than grid-connected solar or hybrid systems.
Renewable energy
Beyond the financial constraints, solar batteries can be a viable option for households who wish to reduce their carbon footprint through renewable energy sources. This can provide a step closer to carbon-neutrality while also futureproofing your home against changes in the electricity market.
Solar system batteries have many advantages and are the perfect complement to new or existing solar setups. Despite the positives, the high prices may put them out of reach of the average Australian. With future changes in the electricity market or more efficient manufacturing, solar batteries could become a more popular and affordable option.
For more information about solar batteries, reach out to the experienced team at Solar System.