Solar panel battery storage

Solar panels don’t always generate the most electricity when you want to use it. Home storage batteries store your electricity to use later, making your energy system more independent from the National Grid. 

Usually battery storage is used alongside solar panels, but it can also be used with an energy tariff that offers cheaper electricity at off-peak times.

If you don't have a storage battery, excess electricity generated during the day will typically be sent back to the National Grid (you can get paid for this if you have a Smart Export Guarantee tariff), and you'll have to use mains electricity in the evenings and at night. 

Make your property more energy efficient

Find out about our free home energy planning service

See more

What is solar panel battery storage?

Battery storage allows you to keep electricity stored and ready so that you can use it when you need it.

You can charge the batteries using excess electricity generated from solar panels or other home generation. Energy storage can be useful if you generate renewable electricity and want to be able to use more of it, especially outside of daylight hours. 

You can also charge storage batteries using your mains electricity supply. This may be worth considering if you have a time-of-use energy tariff that means you could charge a battery cheaply at off-peak times, and use the stored energy when mains electricity is pricier.

Read on to find out about different energy-storage products, how much they cost, and the pros and cons of batteries. 

Or jump straight to our table of battery storage products and prices.

Solar panel battery storage: pros and cons

Pros

• Helps you use more of the electricity you generate.
• Cuts your electricity bill if you buy less from your energy supplier.
• Some energy tariffs pay you for allowing your battery to be used to store excess grid electricity.
• Could enable you to take advantage of cheap-rate electricity, for example from a smart time-of-use tariff.
• Requires little maintenance.
• You no longer have to pay VAT to add batteries to an existing solar PV system (until February 2024 it was 20%). Batteries installed at the same time as solar panels have always been subject to 0% VAT.

Cons

• Currently pricey, so payback time may be lengthy.
• If you have an old feed-in tariff (FIT) contract, a direct current (DC) system could reduce your payments.
• Likely to need replacing during the lifetime of a solar PV system.
• If retrofitted to existing solar PV, you may need a new inverter (the device that converts the direct current (DC) electricity generated by solar panels into alternating current (AC) electricity.

We asked solar-panel experts and owners for their top tips. Find out how to make the most of your solar panels.

Is solar battery storage right for my home?

If you have solar PV panels, or are planning to install them, then using home batteries to store electricity you’ve generated could help you to maximise the amount of renewable energy you use. 

Storing your solar energy will reduce how much electricity you use from the grid, and potentially cut your energy bills – particularly if you're typically away from home during the day. And if your home is off-grid, it can help to reduce your use of fossil fuel backup generators.

In our 2024 survey of more than 2,000 solar panel owners, 43% of them also had a battery. Many others said they'd add a battery if they were installing their system now.

However, if you’re at home during the day and already use a large proportion of the electricity you generate through solar panels, or divert surplus electricity to heat your water (for example), then the savings from a battery may not justify the up-front costs. 

That's because buying and installing a battery usually costs upwards of £2,000, so you’ll need to make sure it's a worthwhile investment. That said, with grid electricity currently very expensive – and projected to stay that way until the end of the decade – payback times might be shorter than you think.

Find out more: 10 ways to save on energy bills

What size solar storage battery do I need?

The average home uses between 8kWh and 10kWh of electricity per day. The capacity of new lithium-ion solar storage batteries typically ranges from around 5kWh to 15kWh.

If you’re using a battery alongside solar panels, ideally you want one that will cover your evening and night-time electricity use, ready to be charged again when the sun comes up. Check how much your solar panels can generate – there's no point buying a battery that's bigger than they can fill.

With a battery that is well chosen for your home's energy use and your solar panels' output, you should find that you can have enough electricity stored for the evening for most of the year. You might find that you still need grid electricity on the longest winter nights, though.

We recommend you speak to an expert battery installer for a tailored quote to discuss the right size for your home.

Can I save money with a solar battery?

Battery storage costs can range from less than £2,000 up to £10,000 depending on battery capacity, type, brand and lifespan. So they're not cheap – but prices are dropping all the time, and with electricity prices high, payback times are improving.

Whether a battery will save you money depends on:

• the cost of installation
• the type of system installed (DC or AC, chemistry of the battery, connections)
• how the battery is used (including the effectiveness of the control algorithm)
• the price of electricity (and how it changes during the lifetime of your system)
• the battery’s lifetime.

Battery systems often come with a 10-year warranty. They require little maintenance, so the main cost is the initial installation. However, solar PV panels can last 25 years or more, so you should factor in the cost of replacing the battery at least once into your total costs.

Some battery storage companies offer financial benefits for those with storage batteries – for example, payments or reduced tariffs for providing services to the grid (eg letting spare electricity from the grid be stored in your battery).

Will a storage battery affect my export payments?

If you have a Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) tariff or Feed-in Tariff (FIT - scheme closed to new customers), which rewards you for any excess renewable energy you export to the grid, you are likely to find that your exports (and therefore your payments) reduce if you have a storage battery. And having a storage battery may render you ineligible for some SEG tariffs. 

Financing energy storage

While battery prices are coming down, buying one still a significant investment.

The government announced low and zero interest loans for batteries as part of its Warm Homes Plan in January 2026. We don't know when these government-backed loans will be available yet but all homeowners will be able to apply. Some low-income families struggling to pay their energy bills could get free solar panels and battery storage installed. Read more about the Warm Homes Plan explained.

Right now, unless you can get a 0% finance deal, the best option is to pay for your battery upfront. If you don’t have the cash to do this, you could consider a private loan. However, remember you’ll have to pay interest on money you borrow, so make sure that gains made from battery storage would outweigh this.

EDF Energy, E.ON Next, Octopus Energy and Ovo Energy home energy storage packages

Some big tech brands, including Samsung and Tesla, sell home-energy storage systems. Most of the biggest energy suppliers now sell storage too, often alongside solar panels:

• EDF Energy sells batteries starting from £3,995 for a Sunsynk battery, or £7,795 for a Tesla battery.
• E.ON Next also sells Sunsynk and Tesla batteries, for £3,995 and £7,795 respectively. It offers discounted rates if you buy solar panels at the same time.  
• Scottish Power sells batteries as a standalone system, alongside solar panels or as an add-on to an existing solar system. Batteries cost from £2,910 (or £1,680 if you buy them with solar panels).
• So Energy sells Duracell, Fox and Tesla batteries, starting from £2,999. There's a discount if you buy solar panels at the same time.

British Gas, Good Energy, Ovo Energy and Octopus Energy also sell storage systems as part of their solar panel packages. 

Find out about energy suppliers' solar panel packages and how much solar panels cost.

Energy storage supplier GivEnergy goes into administration

On 9 April 2026, GivEnergy Ltd went into administration. It previously sold household energy storage systems, including via E.ON Next.

If you own a GivEnergy system, your battery will still work as normal, according to the Energy Storage Association. That's because GivEnergy's online systems (including its app and portal) are operated by a different company within the GivEnergy Group. That company (GivEnergy Software Ltd) isn't in administration. So you can still monitor and control your battery as before.

Its batteries have 'built-in systems that are designed to ensure that the battery remains safe', the Energy Storage Association states. These will continue to monitor your battery and shut it down if there is a problem.

If you need help with your battery, contact the company you bought your system from. GivEnergy support lines are closed.

If your battery is faulty, you're unlikely to be able to claim against GivEnergy warranties. Check who your contract is with and what it says. 

You might have other routes to redress:

• If you bought your battery from your energy company, an installer or wholesaler, try contacting them instead.
• If you bought your battery on a credit card, you might be able to get a refund using Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act. 

Battery storage products and prices

The batteries below range from the size of a small computer to the size of a washing machine. Greater capacity means a bigger and heavier battery. 

Small systems can be wall-mounted, while larger ones sit on the floor. Some companies offer 'stackable' batteries that can be used together to increase the maximum capacity of the system.

Use the table to compare prices, capacities and key features.

Energy storage systems with price excluding installation

Bear in mind that usable capacity is usually less than stated capacity. This is because batteries tend to lose some energy in charging and discharging, and most aren’t designed to be fully discharged on a regular basis.  

The products in the table above are designed to work with the grid. If you’re off-grid, speak with an installer directly to get an appropriate system for your situation.

Before you install a home-energy storage system

• Consider whether you’re generating enough electricity that you don't use to make it worth adding energy storage to an existing solar panel system.
• If you’re looking to protect yourself against power cuts with a home battery, not all systems are suitable. Ask your installer whether your battery will work in a power outage, and for how long.
• Get quotes from several installers on the cost of installation and estimated savings. Ask them to explain their calculations to you, and question anything you’re not sure about.
• Check that your installer is signed up to the Renewable Energy Consumer Code (RECC), which now covers storage. This means they’re signed up to a high standard of conduct, including providing good information about your installation. You also have access to RECC’s complaints process if something goes wrong.
• Check that your installer is certified by the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS). This means they meet industry standards. MCS can also help with complaints.
• Alternatively, check that your provider is certified by the Flexible Energy Oversight Registration Body, or Flexi-Orb. Flexi-Orb certification is not currently accepted by every SEG provider, so be sure to check before installation. 

Do I have to have solar panels to install a battery?

No. You can also charge a home battery using electricity you buy from the grid. 

If you have a time-of-use electricity tariff, you could save money by charging your battery when electricity is cheaper, and using the power from it at peak times, to avoid buying from the grid.

But most people don't yet have time-of-use tariffs. These are likely to become more widely available due to the rollout of smart meters, as they make it easy for energy companies to see exactly when you've used energy. Economy 7 and Economy 10 are types of traditional time-of-use tariffs, usually linked to storage heating systems.

Find out more about smart time-of-use tariffs.

Is there a fire risk with battery storage?

A government review of the safety of home energy storage systems in 2020 said that 'there have been few recorded fires involving domestic lithium-ion battery storage systems'.

The cells need to work within a specific range of conditions set out by the manufacturer for:

• temperature
• current
• voltage.

If a battery goes beyond these, they can cause defects and result in unsafe conditions (such as release of gases or fire). 

Batteries have to go through standard safety tests and handle different conditions without fire or explosion to be allowed to go on sale. They must also meet standards on wiring, electrical installation and product safety.

An installer should reduce the risks by taking into account:

• The location the battery will be installed
• How multiple units should be separated
• Extra fire safety measures needed, such as detectors and measures for tackling a fire
• Ventilation.

Battery storage installation systems

There are two types of battery installation: DC and AC systems.

DC battery systems

A DC system is connected directly to the generation source (eg solar panels), before the electricity generation meter. You won’t need another inverter.

However, charging and discharging is less efficient, so could affect your feed-in tariff, if you have one. DC systems aren't usually recommended if you’re retrofitting a battery to an existing PV system. 

DC systems can’t be charged from the grid, according to the Energy Saving Trust.

AC battery systems

These are connected after the electricity generation meter. So you’ll need an AC/DC power unit to convert the electricity you generate into AC you can use in your home (and back again to store it in your battery).

AC systems are more expensive than DC systems, according to Energy Saving Trust. But an AC system won’t affect feed-in tariff payments, as the generation meter can register the total system output.

Battery installation tips

• If you’re installing a storage system, you should notify your local Distribution Network Operator – check with the Energy Networks Association if you’re not sure who it is. You may also need to inform your local council.
• Beware of pressure selling by installers. Check our solar panels buying advice for things to look out for, including rapidly reducing quotes and lack of detailed information. A good installer should be able to clearly show you how they’ve worked out what size and type of system you will need for your home, and how they’ve calculated any potential payback times.