After being told their property was a weak candidate for rooftop solar, a U.K. homeowner wondered if a battery-only setup would be right. Unsure if cheap overnight electricity rates would make a battery worthwhile, the homeowner turned to Reddit for advice.
Here's what to know
Posting in the r/SolarUK forum, the homeowner explained that they had "two lodgers who often work from home" and had been looking into a battery-and-solar system. However, when the solar company Octopus came out to inspect their home, a representative said the house wasn't "ideal."
"Would a battery-only setup and a cheap overnight tariff be a sensible solution?" the original poster asked. In that kind of setup, the battery charges during relatively inexpensive overnight hours and then supplies electricity later, when power from the grid costs more.
Especially for people who work from home, adding battery storage is one of the best ways to protect your home during outages, save money on energy, and gain energy independence. Homeowners weighing those trade-offs can explore EnergySage to compare home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates.
If you're looking into battery options, EnergySage has teamed up with electrification brand Qmerit to help homeowners get the best price on home battery storage solutions.
What commenters said
Commenters agreed that the length of time it would take for the OP to recoup their investment on a home battery depended on their electricity use and local rates. "Break even will depend entirely on how much electricity you consume," one user wrote.
Another agreed, writing, "Usage is going to be your major deciding factor."
To provide a frame of reference, some Redditors shared details of their own experiences. "I worked out a 3-4 year payback on battery only," one shared, noting that the availability of lower overnight rates sometimes depends on EV ownership.
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Can they take the battery with them?
Another key question for the OP was whether they would be able to take their home battery with them if they moved. While commenters agreed that removing and reinstalling the battery was technically possible, some warned that it might not be worth the cost.
"It will probably cost as much to get someone to disconnect it and reconnect it as getting a new setup at your new place," the first user advised.
If you're looking for easily moveable backup battery options, Pila offers plug-and-play batteries for a fraction of the price of whole-home backup systems.
Where can I learn more?
The following stories delve deeper into battery issues, including financing for home backup batteries, installation disputes, and efforts to store electricity.
• SunPower and Palmetto are offering backup batteries without upfront costs.
• Solar owners have said full-home battery backup makes outages so seamless they barely notice.
• One homeowner ran into an "unreasonable" lithium battery rule that limited storage plans.
• In the U.K., backers argued that neighborhood-scale batteries could cut bills by storing cheaper power.
• In England, residents raised £440,000 for the U.K.'s first community-owned battery to save surplus solar.
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