When Should One Be Installed?
The optimum application for a solar battery storage system is in conjunction with a solar PV array. Fortunately, adding a solar battery to an array that already exists is a rather easy process. And if you don’t have either, you may combine the two to run your house totally on renewable energy.
The two technologies work in tandem to significantly increase the efficiency of your solar panel array while lowering the cost of your storage system. There is no better time to start taking advantage of the money you can save on your monthly electricity bill if you have been thinking about going green.
You may pick from a range of battery types in solar battery storage systems, which also come with several benefits including increased eco-friendliness, a longer lifespan, and simpler installation.
You can buy a battery on its own and use grid power to charge it if you don’t have a solar panel installation. Even though this is not a solar battery option, charging your battery at off-peak hours can still help you save money.
What Are the Prices of Solar Batteries?
Currently, prices can vary from £1,200 to £6,000 depending on the battery’s capacity, chemical makeup, and life cycle.
Costs for solar batteries are currently at a level close to when photovoltaic systems were still a relatively new technology. The cost of solar battery storage systems will inevitably decrease as their acceptance spreads, mirroring the pattern of solar panel prices.
The most popular and affordable batteries of all types are lithium-ion solar batteries. A breakdown of lithium-ion prices based on useful capacity can be found in the table below.
Usable Capacity of Lithium-Ion Solar Batteries Price (kWh)
Usable Capacity (kWh) |
Estimated Price (Lithium-Ion Batteries) |
3 – 4 kWh |
From £3,410 |
4 – 7 kWh |
From £4,288 |
7 – 9 kWh |
From £5,185 |
9 – 13.5 kWh |
From £5,920 |
Batteries used in solar panel systems are most frequently made of lithium-ion and lead-acid chemicals. Due to their longer lifespan and greater usable capacity, lithium-ion batteries continue to hold a larger market share despite their higher estimated price.
The following table explains in detail why lithium-ion batteries are a better fit if you consider future replacement costs even though lead-acid batteries are comparably less expensive in the short term.
Prices for various battery materials: Characteristics of Lithium-Ion vs. Lead-Acid Lithium-Ion
Characteristics |
Lead-Acid Battery |
Lithium-Ion Battery |
Preliminary Cost |
£2,000 |
£4,000 |
Storage Capacity (kWh) |
4 kWh |
4 kWh |
Depth of Discharge (DoD) |
50% |
90% |
Life Cycle |
1,800 |
4,000 |
Cost / kWh / Cycle* |
£0.556 |
£0.278 |
Cost / kWh / Cycle* £0.556 £0.278 *Cost / kWh / cycle equals initial cost / (storage capacity DOD life cycle).
Battery Components
The lifespan of the product and the discharge rate are both impacted differently by different materials. For instance, lead-acid batteries can only discharge about 50% of the total amount of storage while lithium-ion batteries can discharge 70% to 90%. Additionally, the lifespan of lithium-ion batteries is at least twice that of lead-acid batteries. Prices will typically increase as a result of a higher discharge rate and longer lifespan.
Capacity
Usable capacity, which is typically determined by the depth of discharge, is the amount of energy that can be used, while storage capacity refers to the overall amount of energy that your solar battery can store (DoD).
The number of kilowatt hours (kWh) of storage and usable capacity has a direct impact on how much your solar battery storage system will cost. A higher price will be the result of a larger capacity because it can support a larger area and store more energy.
Lifespan
The life cycle is a crucial determinant of how long a solar battery storage system will last. A solar battery can operate normally for a longer period of time the more cycles it can produce. The cost of replacing a new solar battery could increase given that solar panels typically last 25 years.
Installation
Solar battery storage system installation costs vary slightly based on size and may be covered by some brands. In general, it is more cost-effective to set up your solar battery system along with solar panel installation.
Do Solar Batteries Qualify for Grants?
Even though the cost of a solar battery storage system might not be low, there are still some ways to cut costs. In the UK, there are currently funding options for solar panels.
You can get paid to export stored electricity back to the grid through the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG). Each energy provider has a different export tariff, but a good one is between 4-6p/kWh.
Make sure to ask your energy provider if they permit exporting of stored energy.
The Feed-in Tariff (FIT) was in place before the SEG. With the FIT, homeowners were rewarded for using clean energy sources like solar energy and for exporting electricity to the grid. 2019 saw the FIT’s end, and no new applications are now being processed. Payments will continue to be made to those who are currently registered under the FIT until their contracts expire.
Utilizing the reduced VAT is another way to lower the investment’s cost. Only people over 60 or those receiving income or disability benefits are eligible for this reduction.
Normally, VAT is 20%, but those who qualify only have to pay 5% VAT on items like solar batteries.
The Home Energy Scotland Loan is available to residents of Scotland. This loan has no interest and is intended to help pay for various renewable energy sources and energy-efficient upgrades, such as solar batteries and solar panels.
For a solar PV system and a solar battery storage system, loans of up to £6,000 and £5,000, respectively, are available. Depending on the installation, the repayment period ranges from 5 to 10 years.
Visit the Home Energy Scotland website to learn more about the specific eligibility requirements.
The included options for solar battery funding
Guarantee of smart export
Loan from Home Scotland Energy
What Different Kinds of Solar Batteries Exist?
- RV/Marine Solar Batteries – Marine solar batteries are used by people who own RVs as well as boats and are suitable for smaller systems. Due to their lower capacity for continuous use, these solar battery types function best when no other source of electricity is available.
- Lead-acid batteries- that can hold water are known as “flooded type” batteries. When compared to Marine solar batteries, these batteries are reasonably priced and have a long lifespan. Because flooded type batteries release gas when charged, it is advised that they be used outside. However, it is strongly advised that a venting system be used to release gases, some of which may be explosive and toxic, if these are installed indoors.
- Gel – Unlike flooded batteries, sealed gel batteries don’t have vents and don’t emit gases. Because of this, venting is not necessary, and using these batteries indoors is risk-free. The benefit of this is that the battery will operate more effectively than flooded batteries because its interior temperature will be more stable.
- Batteries with absorbed glass mats (AGM) -hold the electrolyte between the plates using a glass mat. These battery types do not release gas when charging because they are leakproof. In addition, Glass Mat batteries perform better than other battery types, making them the best. They are of higher quality and have all the benefits of sealed gel types. They maintain voltage better, self-discharge more slowly, and last longer, which are additional benefits. They are, of course, the most expensive of the four types due to their superiority.
Which Benefits and Drawbacks Do Solar Batteries Offer?
There are benefits and drawbacks to be aware of with this investment, just like with any other. Even though buying solar batteries has many wonderful advantages, you should be aware of some disadvantages before making the purchase.
The main advantages and disadvantages of solar batteries are briefly summarized below: