SOLAR REPAIRS YORKSHIRE
Solar Battery Storage
Let’s talk Batteries
Let’s talk Batteries
If you have a solar PV system of 3kw or above then a solar battery could be of great benefit to you. In most domestic systems the surplus PV energy is simply fed back into the national grid, with no benefit to you. Modern Lithium Ion batteries can store this surplus energy and release it in the evening, saving you buying electricity from the grid.
You still get paid your Fits for generating the energy, regardles of if you use it or export it and you significantly reduce your electricty bill.
With modern battery systems its also possible to charge your batteries overnight on cheap rate electricity from the grid. This is usually a fraction of the daytime rate, and is really useful in winter when there is little sunshine. Ask your energy provider or have a look at the tariffs on offer from Octopus Energy.
Which system, AC or DC?
There are two common types of system, AC and DC. An AC system, can be retrofitted to an existing installation leaving the old inverter in place. In a DC coupled system a special Hybrid inverter is installed that both converts the DC solar power to AC for home use and charges the DC batteries.
No one hat fits all, and the existing system and your requirements are taken into account before deciding on the system design. Both use Lithium Ion batteries, that have 90 to 95% depth of discharge and often a 10 year warranty.
How much does it cost?
Well that really depends on your requirements and the storage capacity. There are a number of options, plus several manufacturers, so we would normally ask you a number of questions in order to establish your requirements. We install systems from GivEnergy, Sofar, Solis, Growatt, Pylontech, BYD and Victron Energy.
Most battery systems are scalable, you could start small and add more capacity later.
Do you want to import from the grid?
Most systems can charge the batteries overnight from the grid. This allows you to take advantage of cheap rate overnight electricity from suppliers like Octopus, charge your batteries and then discharge them when the electricity price has risen during the day. If you want to take advantage of this then we recommend systems from GivEnergy as the app is very informative and user-friendly.
We are approved installers for GivEnergy battery storage systems.
Case study Mr Parr - Holmfirth, West Yorkshire
12 years ago we installed this client a 4kw Solar PV system with Sanyo solar panels and SMA inverter. The system has worked perfectly and generated significant amounts of energy and Feed In Tariffs. This is great and provides large amounts of energy during the daytime, however he was exporting significant amounts of energy to the grid, with no benefit, and then buying that energy back during the darker hours.
Our solution was to install a solar battery or ESS (Energy Storage System) This allows him to store that surplus energy, and use it during the night time, or when ever his energy demand rises above his solar output. The system automatically uses any energy stored in the battery to supply the house if there is sufficient energy in the battery and there is demand from the house.
We installed a GivEnergy AC coupled inverter along with a Generation 3, 9.5kwh battery. This was installed in his cellar, but could be installed in various locations, including garages, even externally on outside walls. Currently it is not recommended to install battery systems in lofts.
Mr Parr can now import cheap rate overnight energy, and store his surplus solar energy for use later in the day. The app is easy to use and informative. The system will save money on energy bills and does not affect his feed in tariff payments, they stay the same.
