Solar Panel Battery – Start Solar

Getting started with...

A solar panel battery

A solar panel battery saves the sun’s energy for later use in the home – empowering you to run on solar reliably, and round the clock
Switch to battery power during peak hours, dodging the peak rates charged by your energy provider
Power your home cheaply, cleanly, and with minimal reliance on the grid

In order for solar panels to power your home, they need sunlight to convert into electricity. So, for homes looking to run on solar, what happens during the night? Or in those cloudy periods where sunlight is insufficient?

Enter the solar panel battery. A solar panel battery is a device used to store the excess electrical energy generated by solar panels. In turn, it can supply clean energy for later use in your home. Here’s a handy overview.

What’s on this page?

How does a solar panel battery work?

What is included in a solar energy storage system?

Does a solar array always need a solar panel battery?

Can I add a solar panel battery if I already have solar installed?

What about adding a solar panel battery before my solar PV installation?

Why should I install a solar panel battery?

Will any solar panel battery be compatible with my solar array?

What solar panel battery capacity do I need?

Can the same installer fit both my solar panel battery and the panels?

How long will my solar panel battery live?

01 | How does a solar panel battery work?

A solar panel battery is a rechargeable battery that stores the electricity produced by solar panels. Then, it releases that electricity into the home when needed. (I.e., when the sun is no longer shining.)

The upshot is that you’re less reliant on the grid, and can load shift to avoid peak charges.

However, it’s important to note that a solar panel battery doesn’t only work with solar panels. If your demand is higher than the power available from the battery and solar generation, the system will also charge intelligently using the grid. In this instance, it will draw power from the grid when energy is off-peak. (And so, when energy is cleaner and lower cost.) This means that, even when drawing from the grid, you’re still powering your home as cheaply and greenly as possible.

So, in a nutshell, a solar panel battery is an essential component of your solar energy system. It enables you to use solar during periods of low or no sunlight. In turn, then, it makes solar energy a more reliable and sustainable source of electricity.

02 | What is included in a solar energy storage system?

A solar panel battery is just one part of your solar energy system. Typically, a solar energy storage system comprises:

Your solar panels where sunlight is converted to electricity
A battery where your energy supply is stored, to discharge into the home
A battery inverter the computer or ‘brain’ of an energy storage system that makes the solution ‘smart’
A solar inverter when solar panels are also in place, this inverter type is also essential for safely converting current back and forth from the solar panels, to the battery, to the home. It’s worth noting that you can combine solar and battery inverters together in a single product – a “hybrid inverter”.
Energy management software where you can monitor, manage, and optimise your energy usage, using a detailed cloud portal and a lighter-weight app
Complementary products beyond this core range, you may also have complementary products such as EV chargers, smart plugs, voltage optimisers, etc.

03 | Does a solar array always need a solar panel battery?

No – but your solar array will deliver much better results if you have one.

Without a solar panel battery, your solar array has no means to store excess energy while the sun is shining. So, you can only make use of the sun’s power intermittently. Plus, all that excess energy you’re generating while the sun is shining will go back to the grid. (Where, unfortunately, it may even end up going to waste.)

A solar panel battery prevents that waste. Rather than going back to the grid, your excess energy is stored in the battery. You can then switch to battery power when the sun has stopped shining – keeping your home running on solar morning, noon, and night.

So, even though your solar array doesn’t need a battery to work, you’ll achieve lower bills and lower carbon emissions by installing the technologies together.

04 | Can I add a solar panel battery if I already have solar installed?

Yes – and it’s super straightforward to do so. Retrofitting a solar panel battery is a simple process done within a day.

All that happens here is that an installer will come to your property to fit the battery. They’ll also add an AC coupled inverter that will communicate between your solar array, the new storage battery, and the home.

During the installation process, your solar panels remain untouched. Plus, any existing Feed in Tariff is completely unaffected. So, it couldn’t be easier to add a storage battery to your installed solar panel array.

05 | What about adding a solar panel battery before my solar PV installation?

Some people start their clean energy journey with solar or other renewables. Others start with energy storage batteries, and then add solar afterwards. Whichever route you choose is fine. Batteries and solar will still go together hand in hand – whichever shape your journey takes.

If, then, you install a storage battery before you install PV, your battery will still work to save you money. In this instance, it will manipulate off-peak grid rates to charge when energy is cheap, then discharge when costs are high.

Then, when you add solar, it can also take its charge from your solar array for even cheaper energy. The only thing to consider when adding a solar panel battery before your solar array is your choice of inverter.

Some inverters are battery only inverters, some are solar only inverters, and some are hybrid combinations of both.

At Start Solar, we offer:

AC coupled inverters (a battery only inverter)
Hybrid inverters (a battery plus solar inverter in one solution)
String inverters (a solar only inverter)
Integration with third party inverters

This means you have plenty of great options, and can tackle your energy project in the order you choose.

06 | Why should I install a solar panel battery?

A solar panel battery supercharges your investment on solar panels. (Pun intended!)

If you’ve got (or are getting) solar PV, adding storage capacity will reduce energy waste and give you lots of stored energy that can power your home throughout evenings. So, you can harness the sun’s energy long after the sun has stopped shining.

The most obvious upshot of having access to this excess solar is that you can save heaps on your energy bills. (85% savings being typical, in fact.) As well as slashing your bills, you’ll also be slashing your home carbon emissions by drawing less on the grid during peak hours.

Then, there are plenty of additional benefits to installing a solar panel battery – even beyond these cost and carbon savings. For example, access to energy data allows gives you insights on your usage. With these insights, you can change your behaviour and drive continual optimisations.

Plus, your solar panel battery protects your home from outages. Stored solar energy helps safeguard you against power disruption.

In short, a solar panel battery is key to clean, low-cost, and low-carbon energy.

In short, you get full visibility on your home and how it uses energy – on both an overall level and in granular detail.

07 | Why should I install a solar panel battery?

We build compatibility into our systems. So, as standard, GivEnergy batteries and inverters are fully compatible with any and all solar panels.

Beyond your solar array, GivEnergy systems can also integrate with multiple third-party energy technologies, including:

Solar inverters
Air source heat pumps
Power diverters
EV chargers

08 | What solar panel battery capacity do I need?

This depends, in the first instance, on how much energy you generate from your solar panels. Broadly speaking, the more energy generated, the more storage capacity needed.

In the second instance, solar panel battery capacity depends on your home setup. For example:

How big is your property?
How many people live there?
What is your standard energy consumption?
Do you have any high-usage needs, for EVs, hot tubs, etc?

With so many variables at play, we can provide a storage battery ranging from 2.6kWh capacity to 13.5kWh capacity. You can also double up on batteries and scale your setup over time, as and when needed.

Since every home is different, your GivEnergy installer will be best-placed to advise you on optimal battery capacity after learning more about your project and your needs.

09 | Can the same installer fit both my solar panel battery and the panels?

To fit both the solar and storage aspects of your project, your installer will need to:

Be an approved GivEnergy installer
Be qualified to fit solar PV

Fortunately, these two often overlap. If, however, you’ve picked a solar installer who isn’t yet an approved GivEnergy installer, they can become one for free. All that’s required is participation in our online course. A couple of hours of learning about our products and they’ll be set.

10 | How long will my solar panel battery live?

Your GivEnergy solar battery storage solution is built to last. We protect our batteries with a full manufacturer’s warranty that covers you for 12 years. So, you’ll get a minimum of a decade from your home battery.