Many people are unaware that their solar panels can be underperforming. Here are some signs that a solar battery storage system could be beneficial to you.
You Export a Lot Back to the Grid
Is a lot of what your solar panel system generates exported back to the grid? The Smart Export Guarantee sets the amount that suppliers will pay for exported solar. However, this is typically paid at a lower rate than what you’re charged for importing electricity to your home. For example, the Smart Export Guarantee could pay 4p per unit for exported electricity. A battery would allow you to use the electricity your solar panels have generated instead.
You Only Run Appliances in Daylight
Running your appliances in the daylight hours is another signal that you need to store the electricity you are generating from your solar panels. Whilst running your dishwasher and washing machine in the day is acceptable, if that is when you do your washing and have hot water it would be far better to run these at night when the tariff is lower using the stored electricity from the day.
Your Evening Bills Are Still High
Solar panels generate no electricity at night. Thus evening consumption will be charged at the normal rate from the grid. It is during this evening peak period that most of the savings with a battery system will occur. This peak period is typically between 4pm and 9pm. For Solar Battery Storage Bristol see https://www.precisiongreenenergy.co.uk/renewables/solar-battery-storage/bristol/
You Get No Backup During Power Cuts
Standard grid-tied solar panels are designed to come off line automatically during power cuts for safety reasons. If you want your solar panels to provide you with power during a power cut, then you will require a battery with backup capability.
You Have a Time-of-Use Tariff but No Battery
Time-of-Use Tariffs: Are Batteries worth it? (Part 2) – Octopus Go Example
If several of the points above indicators are relevant for you then the investment of a battery system will pay off.
