Battery Storage Guide

Battery storage can be an excellent way to save for everyone, especially those who already have or plan to have solar PV.

Whilst Solar PV is a great way to reduce grid reliance and increase your savings, battery storage focuses more on the savings aspect.

So if you are interested in increasing your savings and minimising your electricity bill keep reading!

Do I need Solar PV to get a battery?

To put it simply, no. Whilst having a solar PV and battery system is usually the best way to maximise savings and reduce grid reliance, it is not a must.  You can most definitely still benefit from a battery-only system!

How can a battery system help me save?

Having a battery system can increase your savings in two ways, it can help you make the most of cheap rates so that you’re not relying on the grid during peak hours, or if you have a solar PV system,  through storing your excess solar energy for use at a later time.

Making the most of cheap rates:

There are a few ways in which your battery can help you make the most of cheaper rates. The first and most obvious way is through charging at times when electricity is cheap, e.g. during the night, and using this stored energy throughout the day instead of going to the grid. A well-sized battery storage system should cover most if not all of your daily energy usage. So if you charge your battery overnight this should cover most of your daily energy consumption, allowing you to take advantage of the cheaper overnight rate.

Another way is to utilise the new ‘GivBack’ scheme run by GivEnergy, which allows you to export excess energy from your battery to the grid during periods where the grid is strained.  The great thing is, if you opt-into this scheme GivEnergy will keep your battery fully topped up before a saving session and will automatically export your excess energy throughout this period for you.

Storing excess solar energy:

Another great way to utilise your battery storage system, if you have solar PV array, is to store the excess solar energy which you don’t use.

Whether your solar array is sized just to cover your energy consumption or whether it is a ‘fill my roof’ type of project, will dictate how much unused solar energy you will generate. Naturally, you will produce more surplus energy during the summer.

If you are already generating excess solar energy you might as well make the most of it. You can do this through either exporting your surplus energy back to the grid or through storing it in a battery for your own use at a later time.

Both of these options are a great way of utilising your excess solar energy, so really it is down to which one makes more sense for you. For example, it could be that you are paying a lot more for going to the grid than you could get paid for exporting your surplus, in which case it would be better for you to store your excess energy.  

Are there any grants or incentives for Battery Storage?

Yes! As of 1st February 2024 batteries will be eligible for 0% VAT. Up until this point batteries could only qualify for 0% VAT if they were installed alongside a solar PV system. This means that we can now offer battery only installs, as well as additional top-up batteries, at a far lower price. Brining payback time for a battery only setup to under 5 years, and a battery retrofit to a solar array even lower.

Get in Touch Today!

If you would like a quote or more information on battery storage systems get in touch with our designated team.