Solar battery storage won’t be beneficial in all households so it’s important to determine whether it is suitable for you. Adding a battery to your solar power system is the next step towards energy independence however the benefits of batteries are still secondary to the benefits of solar energy itself. For some households adding a battery system can be of great benefit and minimise a home’s reliance on the grid or allow you to become 100% independent from the grid as part of a standalone (off-grid) system.
It’s important to note that whilst batteries are gradually coming down in price, adding a battery won’t necessarily benefit your current financial situation like a solar system will. Today’s current prices (if your state does not offer subsidies or incentives for battery) could have you looking at an expected return on investment in 8-15 years. As technology advances and batteries become more accessible it is expected prices will drop, similar to how they have for solar power systems.
Households with smaller solar power systems that aren’t generating a large amount of excess power may find it more cost-effective to receive feed-in tariffs for their excess power instead of purchasing a battery. Those with large solar power systems and a substantial amount of excess power could benefit greatly from installing battery storage.
If you answer YES to most or all of the below questions, then battery storage may be for you!
- Do you have a solar power system with a substantial amount of excess energy being fed into the grid? Or
- Planning to install a solar power system large enough to run your household through the day with excess power at night?
- Are you fed up with low feed-in tariff rates and being charged high rates when using electricity from the grid?
- Do you want more energy independence?
But before you go any further, please note:
Having Battery Storage Does Not Mean You Have Black-Out Protection
Having a battery does not mean you have protection from blackouts. Battery storage with blackout protection requires additional components, a compatible inverter and a solar battery system large enough to generate and store energy through a blackout. The cost of these additions can outweigh the benefits.
Having A Battery Does Not Mean You Are Off-Grid
If your purpose for adding battery storage is to go completely Off-Grid it will come at a price. For homes in metro areas going Off-grid is not cost-effective and is only recommended for those in remote areas with limited access to the grid. Read about going off-grid here.
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