You may think that you could only count on your solar power system when the sun is out, but that’s not necessarily the case. With battery storage installed, your system will store energy it doesn’t need at the moment so it can pull from that for later, such as during the night-time.
If that sounds like something you could benefit from, you may be interested to know some of the answers to frequently asked questions about battery storage. We will cover some of those in this list of top battery storage tips for your solar power system.
- Know your solar battery’s limits
How long can solar energy be stored in a battery? The typical solar storage battery can save up energy for anywhere from one to five days. So, if you have several days of cloud cover or rain, your battery may have still enough power from the sunny days to keep you going through that period. If you have an efficient solar power system and a decent battery with adequate storage supply, and these are a good fit for your current power needs, you may be able to enjoy continuous power all the time. You may never have to draw power from the grid.
2. Find out installation costs first
Don’t get ahead of yourself and start thinking about how much money you’re going to save with a solar battery when you haven’t first considered all the costs involved. Like any solar power equipment, there are initial expenses to be considered. The cost of the adding a battery like this to your existing system will be somewhere between £750 and £3,500. The cost depends on what kind of system you already have set up, what size battery you want to get, and what the installation service charges for set up.
3. Determine whether you really need a battery
Not every home solar power system really needs a battery. If you don’t use much power during the evening, the battery might be an unnecessary expense. If it’s very affordable for you to get extra power from the grid when your solar setup doesn’t provide adequate power, you might not want to spring for battery storage. Consider your energy consumption needs and how well your current solar system is handling those for you. Ask yourself is it worth getting a battery to go with your solar panel system?
4. Get the right battery
Solar storage batteries come in different sizes. You’ll want to carefully consider which size of storage you need. If your energy consumption needs are minimal, then a small storage battery will probably work fine for you. However, if your area of the country doesn’t get much sunshine, you might want a battery that can hold a charge for longer. Make sure the battery you get is compatible with your solar power system. Many solar systems feature a smart switch that automatically switches over to the battery for power generation when needed. Several of the best solar storage batteries allow you to upgrade your storage needs over time. For instance, the Generac PWR cell battery starts out at 9kWh but then allows you to upgrade your system as needed, starting with increments of 3kWh and going all the way up to 36kWh.
5. Plan for the future
Speaking of upgrading your battery for solar storage, you will want to think about what your power needs might be not just now but in the future, as you consider purchasing a solar power battery. You may want more storage later on, so it will be to your advantage to leave the door open for that option in a way that won’t cost you excessively when and if you decide to upgrade.