Battery storage working alongside solar panels can help homes and businesses to maximise their renewable energy usage and reduce their reliance on the grid.

A battery will add to the cost of getting solar panels, but can also enable you to use more of the electricity they generate to save more money.

Whether using surplus energy from your solar panels or charging it cheaply at night, our guide explains everything you need to know about getting a solar battery.

The key takeaways:
  • A battery will add €1,700 to €2,400 to the cost of a solar power system on average.

  • Having a battery can increase the household self-consumption of solar electricity by 30%.

  • Save more money by charging your battery storage at night with cheaper electricity rates.

  • Different options of AC or DC coupled systems for new systems or retrofitting homes and solar PV systems.

Our Recommended Solar Batteries

Huawei LUNA Smart Battery
Huawei LUNA Smart Battery
  • Scales from 5kW – 30kW capacity
  • Multiple dynamic operating modes
  • 100% Depth of Discharge
SigenStor Solar Battery System
SigenStor Battery System
  • Scales up to 48kW capacity
  • Combines Inverter & Battery System
  • Direct EV Charging
Soluna Battery Systems
  • Flexible & Scalable 5kW & 10kW Battery Packs
  • Rated for over 6,000 discharge cycles
  • Elegant household design
Dyness Solar Batteries
  • Wide range of capacity options
  • Operate dozens of modules in parallel
  • Broad inverter compatibility
Livoltek Battery System
Livoltek Battery System
  • Scales from 5kW – 25kW capacity
  • Multiple dynamic operating modes
  • Smart battery management system
Duracell 5 Solar Battery
Duracell 5 Storage Battery
  • 5kW Capacity & Flexible Scaling
  • 8,000 Cycle Lifespan
  • Smart App Controls

What is a solar battery?

A solar battery storage system is essentially a large rechargeable battery designed to hold electricity generated by solar panels or other sources for use in your home.

When more energy is being generated by your solar panels than is being used at the time, the excess electricity is stored in the battery for later use.

A battery allows you to use solar power in the evenings and night time after the solar PV system has stopped producing electricity.

excess electricity is diverted to your battery to charge it to capacity

What is the cost of a solar battery?

Solar batteries will typically add roughly €1,700 – €3,00 to the price of getting solar panels for your home in Ireland for a 5kW storage battery.

This is a rough estimate for most households which only purchase a single battery. The best way to see exactly what your cost will be is to get a quote from a solar installer.

The main elements affecting the price of a battery are:

Batteries tend to start at around 5kW in capacity and can go up to 15-20kW for a single module. This will vary by brand.

Most homes will only install a single battery, but some, and businesses, may want multiple battery units to give greater storage capacity.

If you install a battery in a solar system it will require a more expensive hybrid inverter rather than a ‘string’ inverter which only has to connect solar panels to the grid.

There will be some costs associated with connecting the battery, such as wiring, mounting, and labour.

Online Solar Assessment

Speak with a member of our team and determine the type of solar that best suits your situation

  • Fill in the solar assessment

  • A solar expert will call you with 24 hours and ask any questions they have

  • We will email across accurate quotes, detailing the timeframe, costs, available grants and next steps

Is there a grant for solar batteries?

There is no SEAI grant specifically for a solar storage battery. If you are getting a storage battery together with solar PV panels, you can receive the solar PV grant, but not if you are only having a battery installed.

The Benefits of Getting a Solar Battery

Save Money on Electricity

Battery storage can help you save money on your electricity bills

Reduce Carbon Emissions

Using more renewable energy will reduce your carbon footprint

Power Outage Protection

Battery storage systems can provide backup power in an outage

Charging at Night

Charge your battery with cheaper power from the grid at night

Should I get a solar battery?

Whether a solar battery would be suitable for your home depends on the number of solar PV panels you have and when you use the most electricity.

If you have a small number of solar panels, or if there are people at home throughout the day using power, then there might not be much excess electricity to work with.

With larger solar power systems, and if not much electricity is being used at the height of the day, then a battery can be a very good investment to ensure that you are getting the most out of their free electricity.

There is also the question of budget. If it is not within your budget to get a battery system installed now, it is better to press ahead with getting solar panels without one to start saving.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ireland’s Top Rated Solar Installers

Take our 90-second online assessment and we’ll connect you with a recommended solar installer.

How much can you save with a battery on your home?

Adding solar battery storage alongside solar panels can increase the amount of electricity used in your home by anywhere from 10% – 30%.

This can easily result in several hundred euro worth of savings on electricity bills each year. Exact savings will depend on how much electricity you use, and the size of the battery.

Main Uses of Solar Battery Storage

There are two ways to benefit from having a battery. The first is to get the most out of your solar panels by making sure that you use as much renewable energy. The second option is to take advantage of cheaper electricity prices by charging the battery from the grid at night.

Use More of the Power Generated by Your Solar Panels

  • A solar battery can increase self-consumption of solar electricity from 50% – 75% of what is generated, up to as much as 90%.
  • Electricity usage at home tends to occur in sharp spikes, while solar power generation is a curve over the course of the day.
  • The cost of electricity from the grid is higher than the feed-in tariff for exporting excess electricity.

Charge Inexpensively from the Grid at Night

  • Battery storage systems can also be charged directly from the electricity grid.

  • Many electricity plans have much cheaper rates during the nighttime than during the day.

  • Some smart plans also have extremely discounted electricity for hours between 2am and 6am.

  • This stored electricity can then be used during the day when prices are higher.

Break Even in 6 Years

A typical solar installation is fully paid back within 5 – 7 years. All solar panels we recommend are under warranty for 25 years, so you will enjoy at least 18 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!

€1,800 SEAI Grant

There is a range of government grants available for all new solar installations. Our team will guide you through the application process.

Can a battery provide power during an outage?

A solar storage battery and solar PV panels can provide power to your home during a power outage, but only if a changeover switch is installed to disconnect it from the grid.

Solar panels automatically disconnect in the event of a power outage to avoid electricity being sent into power lines while technicians are working on them.

This is a safety features which comes as standard in all solar inverters.

With a changeover switch installed, your solar panels can continue to charge the solar battery to provide for the home.

AC v DC Coupling

AC and DC coupling are two different ways to connect batteries to your solar PV panels and the household electricity grid.

The electricity produced by your solar panels is Direct Current (DC) power. 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: Electricity flows first from the solar panels to the inverter, and then into the solar storage battery. This means the electricity going to and from the battery must be inverted three times before it is used.
  • AC Coupling: Power is sent to the battery directly from the solar panels before going to the inverter. This means that it only needs to be inverted once before use.

Both types of systems have different advantages and disadvantages based on the setup of your home and specific needs.

AC Coupling

Pros

  • Easier to retrofit existing homes and PV systems with a battery

  • Greater flexibility in where the battery can be located

  • Can provide some emergency backup power during outages

  • Battery faults won’t put the solar panels at risk and vice versa

Cons

  • Multiple inversions makes it less efficient than DC coupling

  • May be less advantageous for new build homes

  • Additional componets can make AC coupled systems more expensive

DC Coupling

Pros

  • More efficient as the power only has to be inverted once

  • Can be a better option for new build homes.

  • Often more affordable than an AC coupled system

Cons

  • Less flexibility in where to locate the battery

  • Not capable of providing any emergency backup power in the event of an outage

What are the alternatives to a battery?

The other choices for what to do with excess solar electricity are to be paid a feed-in tariff for exporting it to the grid, or to use a solar power diverter.

A feed-in tariff is the price electricity providers will pay a household for each kWh of electricity they export to the grid from microgeneration such as solar panels.

A solar power diverter is an installable box which uses any surplus electricity to power the hot water immersion instead of exporting it.

smart meters allow people with a solar PV system to make money by selling energy back to the grid

FAQs

The majority of solar battery systems can connect multiple batteries together to increase their storage capacity.

Most solar batteries have an expected lifespan of 10 – 15 years and are rated for 6,000 – 10,000 cycles of charging and discharging their capacity.

You can add a solar battery to existing solar PV systems, but you may have to upgrade to a more expensive hybrid inverter if you don’t already have one.

Irish homes use an average of 10 – 20 kW of electricity per day. A 5kW battery fully charged is more than capable of providing an evening’s electricity for most homes.

Modern solar batteries made with lithium iron phosphate are completely safe, with no risk of a fire from short circuits or being knocked around.

Any home can use a storage battery to charge from the grid at night and use that electricity during the day, even if they don’t have solar panels.

Power stored in a battery can be used to charge an electric car and some storage systems may enable a direct connection from the battery to the EV.

The inverter physically controls the flow of power to and from a battery, and a solar monitoring system should allow you to control the operation of the battery.

A cycle refers to completely discharging the battery and then fully charging it back to 100% capacity.

Most solar batteries now are made from Lithium-Iron Phosphate, which has a considerably longer lifespan than lithium ion batteries, even though it has slightly lower energy density.

A solar battery is best installed in an indoor location sheltered from direct sunlight and with good ventilation. It should also have easy access for maintenance and ideally be close to your electrical system.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Get Free Solar Quotes Today

Find a local recommended solar panel installer in your area, and get your free quote today. It’s 100% cost and commitment free.

Vetted solar companies:

  • SEAI Authorised
  • SafeElectric Certified
  • Fully Insured
  • 1,000+ Installations
  • Tier-1 Materials
  • Dedicated Customer Care
  • Fully Vetted
  • Competitively Priced
  • Free Site Assessments

Vetted solar companies:

  • SEAI Authorised
  • SafeElectric Certified
  • Fully Insured
  • 1,000+ Installations
  • Tier-1 Materials
  • Dedicated Customer Care
  • Fully Vetted
  • Competitively Priced
  • Free Site Assessments