Homeowners having solar panels installed may also consider getting a solar battery to allow them to store electricity generated by solar PV for later use.
Having a battery storage system added can add to the cost of a solar PV system, but will ultimately deliver additional savings by allowing homeowners to make full use of the power generated by their panels.
Our guide below will provide more information on what solar batteries our, their costs, and the benefits they can give to homeowners and businesses.
The key takeaways:
Table of Contents
What is Solar Battery Storage?
A solar battery is a large rechargeable battery, with most models typically starting at 5kW in capacity. This battery can be charged from one of two sources.
The stored power in the battery is used either in the evening when solar panels are not as productive, or in the day if they have been charged with cheaper nighttime electricity rates.
This will allow homeowners to maximise their savings by taking advantage of free solar electricity or greatly reduced electricity tariffs.
Benefits of Having a Solar Battery Installed
There are multiple benefits of having a solar storage battery installed with your PV system including saving you additional money on your energy bills from home electricity usage, charging an electric vehicle, and ensuring solar power does not go to waste.
Reducing reliance on energy from the national grid will also make your home or business more environmentally friendly.
The Cost of Solar Battery Storage
The average price of a 5kW solar battery storage system in Ireland is €1,700 to €2,400, although some solar batteries may come with a higher price of €3,000 or more for certain brands.
The chief factors affecting the price of a solar battery are:
Should I get a solar battery?
Whether or not solar battery storage is suitable for your home will largely depend on the amount of surplus electricity there is to work with or your electricity prices.
If you have a large enough solar PV system, or if there is not much power being used during the day, then battery storage might not be the best option for you.
Budget should also be considered, since the €1,700 to €2,400 cost of adding a solar battery can significantly bump up the cost of a solar PV system.
Saving Money With a Solar Battery
A house with 12 solar panels installed can easily save close to €4,000 with a single 5kW battery over 15 years just based on the solar power which would other wise be going to waste.
This figure could be even higher based on larger solar PV systems, and far greater if households also use charge their battery at night time to take advantage of cheaper rates.
Main Uses of Solar Battery Storage
There are two ways to benefit from solar battery storage capacity. The first is to get the most out of your solar panels by making sure that you use as much electricity they generate as possible. The second option is to take advantage of cheaper electricity prices by charging the battery from the grid at night.
7 Years
A typical solar installation is fully paid back within 7 years. All solar panels we recommend are under warranty for 25 years, so you will enjoy at least 17 years of free energy generation.
0% VAT
As of 10 May 2023, the government has removed all VAT on solar installation and solar panel supply. This means solar has never been more affordable!
Government Grants
There is a range of government grants available for all new solar installations. Our team will guide you through the application process.
Can a solar battery provide power during an outage?
Whether or not a solar battery can be used in the event of a power outage will largely depend on how your solar PV system and battery are wired. Typically if there is a power outage then your solar PV system is disconnected at the inverter in order to prevent power going into the grid.
However, if your household has solar panels with a battery system and a changeover switch to isolate the property from the grid, then the panels can continue charging the solar batteries to use in your home.
Without a changeover switch some solar batteries may have outputs which will allow you to run a socket that casn use whatever power is stored there at the time of the outage.
Best Types of Solar Battery
How specific batteries works depends on the type of technology which is being used in your home system. Common types of technology for battery storage include Lead Acid, Lithium-Ion, and Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries.
Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries are the most common and best choice for solar battery storage due to their longer lifespan and improved fire safety compared with other technologies.
AC v DC Coupling
AC and DC coupling are two different ways to connect solar batteries to your solar panels and the household electricity grid.
The electricity produced by your solar panels is Direct Current (DC) power. Solar batteries also store DC power. In contrast, your household uses Alternating Current (AC) power. So it must be inverted from one to the other in order to be used.
- DC Coupling: In a DC coupled system power flows directly from your solar panels to the battery before going to the inverter. This means that it only needs to be inverted once before being used in your house.
- AC Coupling: With an AC coupled system power flows from solar panels to the inverter first, and from there to the battery. This means that the electricity must be inverted three times. First from DC to AC after being made by the solar panels, then from AC to DC to be stored, and then back to AC to be used.
Both types of systems have different advantages and disadvantages based on the setup of your home and specific needs.
AC Coupling
DC Coupling
Alternatives to Getting a Solar Battery
The two most commonly used alternatives to getting a solar battery in Ireland are being paid a feed-in tariff for surplus electricity which is exported to the grid, or installing a power diverter to use that surplus for hot water instead.
Both of these options have different advantages and disadvantages compared to each other and battery storage systems in terms of price and utility.
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