A U.K. homeowner considering a home battery was left questioning the investment after the proposed payments came to roughly £110 a month (about $148 at current exchange rates) — twice their £55 ($74) monthly electricity bill. They turned to fellow solar owners to ask whether the potential savings could justify the cost.
Here's what to know
The £6,000 ($8,050) price covered installation as well as a 15.3-kilowatt-hour Sunsynk battery, according to the homeowner's post on Reddit's r/SolarUK community. They said a government loan scheme would allow them to finance the purchase at 0% interest.
The proposed battery would join an existing 1.75-kilowatt solar array at the three-bedroom semi-detached house. The household spends about £124 ($166) a month on gas and electricity combined.
"I struggle to see how much this would actually save us any money, overnight tariffs from eon look to be about 16P (22 cents), according to eon's switcher. Is anyone able to give any other insights or justification?" the original poster wrote.
Adding battery storage can protect your home during outages if the system is configured for backup. Storing solar power or cheaper electricity for later use can also help save money and provide greater energy independence.
Homeowners exploring storage options can check out EnergySage, including competitive installation estimates. EnergySage has teamed up with electrification brand Qmerit to help homeowners get the best price on home battery storage solutions.
More background
The overnight E.ON option the homeowner found was 16 pence (22 cents) per kilowatt-hour; their current rate, they said, was about 20 pence (27 cents).
That leaves a difference of just four pence (5 cents) before accounting for energy lost when charging and discharging the battery.
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Commenters noted that lower overnight rates could make a difference. "16p overnight is expensive compared to EV related tariffs," one user wrote. The same commenter cited rates of 6-8 pence (8-11 cents), though those figures were user-reported rather than verified offers.
The homeowner wanted spare capacity to avoid running the battery all the way down; they reported typical daily use of about 11 kilowatt-hours. Commenters questioned whether that called for a battery as large as the one proposed.
Capacity that sits unused does not necessarily deliver savings, one commenter explained, even though it adds to the purchase cost.
What can be done?
For this homeowner, commenters recommended comparing installation quotes, checking tariff eligibility, and choosing a battery size based on actual electricity use.
Commenters suggested established local installers as an alternative to the offers the homeowner had received. Several users shared details of cheaper purchases, though the packages were not directly comparable. One reported paying £3,600 ($4,830) for a 32-kilowatt-hour Fogstar battery before installation, whereas the homeowner's quote included installation.
Homeowners should check inverter compatibility and tariff eligibility before assuming a battery qualifies. A commenter put forward two options to investigate: E-on Next Optimise VPP and EDF's electric-vehicle tariff.
For homeowners prioritizing backup, Pila is another company offering strong battery backup options. Pila's plug-and-play batteries cost a fraction of a whole-home backup system, though they are a different proposition from the quoted installation.
One commenter wrote: "Your best bet is getting at least 3 quotes from highly rated local installers who have been in business for a long time."
Where can I learn more?
Other U.K. homeowners are also weighing battery prices against potential electricity savings. These stories cover installation quotes, compatibility checks, and how off-peak charging can help lower electricity costs.
• A U.K. homeowner considering battery-only storage options faced warnings about grid-connection requirements.
• A U.K. buyer comparing £1,729 and £8,000 batteries encountered warnings about voltage differences.
• A London homeowner's £15,000 solar-and-battery quote drew reassuring feedback from other system owners.
• A U.K. homeowner facing £375 winter bills heard batteries could repay costs within five years.
• U.K. battery owners called off-peak charging without solar a 'no-brainer' for reducing electricity costs.
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