Solar and Battery Storage: Why the two belong together

Solar panels on their own are a good start. Solar panels paired with battery storage are where the real savings show up.

We get asked a lot of questions about solar, but the one that comes up most is some version of: "I've already got panels, is a battery actually worth adding?" Almost always, the answer is yes, and here's why.

The problem solar panels alone don't solve

Solar panels generate electricity when the sun is out - which, for most households, is exactly when nobody's home to use it. If you're at work and the kids are at school, your panels could be producing more power than your house needs, and that surplus simply gets exported back to the grid for a fraction of what you paid to generate it.

Then evening comes. The sun drops, the panels stop producing, and your household's energy use goes up… cooking, heating, lights, charging devices. Without a battery, you're buying that electricity back from the grid at full price, often during peak hours when it costs the most.

How solar and battery storage work together

Add a battery to the mix and the picture changes completely:

• Generate - your panels produce power throughout the day, same as before

• Store - instead of exporting the surplus, your battery holds onto it

• Use - in the evening, your home draws on stored power instead of the grid

The result is that a much higher share of the electricity your home uses ends up being electricity you generated yourself, rather than electricity you paid a supplier for.

Batteries also work well even without panels - many can be charged overnight on cheaper off-peak rates and then used during the day, which is worth considering if solar isn't an option for your roof.

What to look for in a solar and battery storage system

Not every battery suits every home, which is why sizing matters more than brand names. A few things worth asking your installer:

• Is the battery sized to your household's actual usage, or just a standard package?

• Is the installer MCS certified, and accredited by the battery manufacturer directly?

• Will the system integrate with your existing solar panels and inverter, or does it need extra hardware?

• What warranty covers the battery and the installation itself?

We install a range of manufacturers - including Tesla, Sigenergy and Fox - so we can match the battery to the property rather than the other way round.

This month's focus: solar and battery storage

This month, we're putting the spotlight on getting solar and battery storage working together properly. Whether you're starting from scratch, adding a battery to existing panels, or upgrading an older system, our team will design something around how your household uses energy - not a generic package.

Book your free solar survey

Solar Star Power has been installing solar panels and battery storage across Uttoxeter, Staffordshire and the Midlands since 2011, and we're MCS certified for both. Contact us today for your free, no-obligation quote.