The Benefits Of Choosing Solar And Batteries
Before you invest in solar as an alternative energy source, you need to consider whether your home would best profit from solar panels only, or solar power and battery. Below, we discuss the purpose and benefits of pairing a battery with your solar panels.
What Does The Battery Do?
Firstly, let’s break down the purpose of using batteries alongside your solar panels. The battery allows you to store excess energy that your solar panels generate during the day, to be used at nighttime. There are a range of battery sizes available, depending on how much energy storage you require. Basically, including a battery as part of your solar setup allows you to equal out your nighttime energy usage.
Solar Panels vs Solar With A Battery
The main difference between these two options is the price point, as the battery is an add-on to your solar panels. According to Solar Choice, “Residential solar battery storage prices are around $1,000 per kWh including installation and GST. This varies with the size and brand of battery.” Whether you can afford to include solar with a battery depends on the battery size you would require and your budget, however, this option could also save you money in the long run as using stored solar energy rather than electricity cuts your power bill.
Benefits Of Solar With Battery
If you’re leaning toward the solar with battery option, you need to think about whether your solar will be able to fully charge them throughout winter when the panels will be receiving the least amount of sunlight. If they will, batteries are an excellent financial investment as they’ll slash your power bills by day and night, all year round. The other benefit of storing extra energy is decreasing your environmental impact, as your home will require less electricity demand from the grid.
Do you have any questions about whether solar panels or solar with a battery would work best for your budget and house? Contact us today and our friendly team will be happy to walk you through your decision-making process.