How Does Home Battery Storage Work? | Understanding Solar

Solar panels are a great clean energy alternative for powering your home. Houses equipped with solar systems generate their own energy supply without needing to draw energy from the grid, which means it can be a cost-effective way to save money on your electricity bills.

However, solar panels can only generate energy when the sun is out. This creates the need for an effective storage solution, such as a battery. Home battery storage is growing in Australia, with our capacity for household energy storage surpassing 1GWh in 2019.

But how does home battery storage work?

What Is A Home Battery Storage System?

Home battery storage systems work by storing electricity, typically from a solar or renewable energy system, so it can be used at another time. These battery systems vary in size and are typically 1kWh to 12kWh for households.

These battery storage systems use a chemical process or pumped hydro system that enables it to store electrical energy for later use.

How Does Home Battery Storage Work? Without Home Battery Storage

The electricity produced by your home solar system is supplied directly to your home as needed throughout the day, rather than being delivered to you through the grid. Any extra electricity that you don’t use is sold into the grid. You receive what’s known as a solar feed-in tarrif (FiT) in return for the excess energy you sell to the grid. This is a credit on your energy bill with your electricity retailer.

When your solar system is not generating power, for example at night, all of the energy you use will be sourced from the grid.

With Home Battery Storage

With a home battery storage system, your solar panels will still power your home directly while the sun is out. But the extra power you generate, rather than being sent into the grid, is stored in your battery so it’s available to use at night.

Home battery storage ensures you use more solar energy to power your home and buy less electricity from the grid.

Even with a home battery storage system, you can still earn credits on your energy bill by selling your solar energy into the grid. However, excess energy will only be sold to the grid when your battery is full.

Should You Purchase a Home Battery Storage System?

The South Australian and Victorian government both offer generous subsidies to encourage households to install batteries in their homes.

You can save money on electricity if you have a solar system and the right sized battery. This is ensures little to none of your energy needs to be bought from the grid. This typically works out to be more affordable than selling excess solar electricity to the grid and collecting credits on your bill.

A battery system can be connected to your existing solar panel system, although some modifications may be necessary. Alternatively, the battery and solar system can be installed as one.

If you’re looking for a way to reduce your electricity bill whilst simultaneously reducing your environmental footprint, a solar powered system for your home can do both. It can be difficult finding the best suited solar and home battery storage systems for your home. By enlisting the help of our experts at Compare & Connect, we can help you make the decision free of charge. Get in touch with our experienced and knowledgeable experts today to bring you closer to having a renewable and self-sufficient energy system at home