As we head into November, many households start thinking more carefully about their energy use. The lights come on earlier, we spend more time indoors and electrical demand can increase. As a result, home battery storage often becomes a bigger consideration during the colder months.
However, battery storage is not only useful for homes with solar panels. Modern battery systems can also work with suitable time of use electricity tariffs. Therefore, a battery can play a useful role throughout winter, even when solar generation is naturally lower.
So, should you install home battery storage before winter? Here is what you need to consider.
Why Does Energy Use Change During Winter?
During autumn and winter, daylight hours become shorter. Consequently, lights tend to stay on for longer and many households spend more time at home.
Homes with electric heating, heat pumps, EV chargers and other electrical technology may also have significant electricity requirements.
At the same time, solar PV systems naturally produce less electricity during winter than they do during the brighter summer months. Solar panels still generate electricity from daylight, but shorter days and changing weather conditions affect overall generation.
Therefore, managing when you buy, store and use electricity can become particularly important during winter.
How Does Home Battery Storage Work?
A home battery stores electricity so that you can use it later.
If you have solar panels, your battery can store some of the electricity your solar PV system generates. Instead of using all of that electricity immediately, you can save energy in the battery for another time.
However, solar is not the only way to charge a home battery.
Depending on your electricity tariff and battery system, you may also be able to charge your battery from the grid during cheaper periods. You can then use that stored electricity later when your household needs it.
This makes battery storage much more flexible than simply storing excess solar generation.
Can I Use Battery Storage Without Solar Panels?
Yes. You do not need solar panels to have home battery storage.
A battery only installation can work particularly well for households using a suitable time of use electricity tariff. These tariffs can offer different electricity prices at different times of the day.
For example, your battery could charge during a cheaper overnight period. Then, during the day, your home can use some of the electricity stored in the battery.
However, electricity tariffs, rates and charging periods vary between providers. Therefore, it is important to check the terms of your specific tariff rather than assuming a battery will automatically reduce your electricity costs.
Battery storage also gives you the option to add solar panels later, provided your system has been designed with your future plans in mind.
Why Can Battery Storage Be Useful During Winter?
Winter is an interesting time for battery storage because there are two different factors to consider.
Firstly, homes with solar panels usually generate less electricity than they do during summer. Therefore, there may be less excess solar available to charge the battery.
On the other hand, a smart battery system can potentially use cheaper grid electricity where a suitable tariff is available.
As a result, your battery does not have to sit waiting for solar generation. Instead, your energy system can be configured around your household, tariff and electricity consumption.
This flexibility is one of the reasons we believe battery storage should be designed around the individual property rather than treated as a one size fits all product.
Home Battery Storage with Solar Panels
Solar panels and battery storage can work extremely well together.
During daylight hours, your solar panels generate electricity. Your home can use this electricity first, while suitable excess generation can charge the battery.
Later, when solar generation falls, the stored electricity can be available for use around the home.
Of course, the balance changes throughout the year. During summer, there may be considerably more solar generation available. During winter, you may rely more heavily on the grid.
That is why modern energy management is important. Rather than looking at solar and battery storage separately, we consider how the whole system will work across different seasons.
What Size Home Battery Do I Need?
There is no single battery size that suits every property.
A larger battery is not automatically better. Instead, we look at factors such as your electricity consumption, solar PV system, tariff, lifestyle and future energy plans.
For example, a household with an EV and a heat pump may have very different electricity requirements from a smaller property with gas heating.
Likewise, a home with a large solar PV system may have different storage requirements from a battery only installation.
Therefore, correctly sizing the system is an important part of the design process.
Why We Install AlphaESS Battery Storage
At West Coast Electrical & Renewables, AlphaESS is one of our main choices for residential battery storage.
We use AlphaESS because the range gives us flexibility when designing systems around different homes and energy requirements.
The AlphaESS SMILE G3 range uses lithium iron phosphate, also known as LFP or LiFePO4, battery chemistry. The range includes modular battery options, which means compatible systems can be configured with different storage capacities.
Certain SMILE G3 configurations also offer a 95% depth of discharge and IP65 protection for suitable outdoor installations.
Another important benefit is monitoring. With a smart energy storage system, customers can understand how electricity moves around their property. Depending on the system configuration, this can include electricity being generated, stored, imported and used.
That information can make it much easier to understand your household energy habits.
Can I Add Battery Storage to Existing Solar Panels?
In many cases, yes.
If you already have solar panels, it may be possible to add battery storage without replacing your complete solar PV system.
However, the right solution depends on your existing inverter, solar installation, electrical system and what you want the battery to achieve.
An assessment allows us to look at the existing installation before recommending a suitable solution.
This is particularly useful for homeowners who installed solar several years ago but now want to store more of their generated electricity.
What About Battery Storage for a New Solar Installation?
If you are already considering new solar panels, it makes sense to discuss battery storage during the initial design stage.
That does not necessarily mean every home needs the biggest battery available. Instead, the solar array, inverter and battery can all be considered together.
We can also discuss your future plans. For example, you may be considering an EV charger, heat pump or other electrical upgrades later.
Planning for those changes at the beginning can help us design an energy system around both your current and future requirements.
Is Home Battery Storage Worth It?
This depends on the individual household.
Battery storage has an upfront cost, so it is important to consider your electricity consumption, tariff and expected use before making a decision.
For some households, combining battery storage with solar PV can help them use more of the electricity generated at home.
For others, a battery only system combined with a suitable time of use tariff may be worth considering.
However, we would never suggest that every property will achieve the same financial result. Energy use varies considerably between households, while electricity tariffs and prices can also change.
Therefore, a proper assessment gives you a much better picture than relying on generic savings figures.
Should I Install Home Battery Storage Before Winter?
There is no requirement to wait for spring or summer to install a battery.
In fact, autumn and winter can be a useful time to start looking at how your household uses electricity. With shorter days and changing energy demands, you can often get a clearer picture of when your home needs the most power.
Home battery storage can also operate throughout the year. During brighter months, solar generation may play a larger role. During darker months, smart charging and your electricity tariff may become more important.
Ultimately, the best system is one designed around your home rather than the season.
Battery Storage Installers in Blackpool and Lancashire
West Coast Electrical & Renewables installs home battery storage across Blackpool, Poulton le Fylde, Thornton Cleveleys, Lytham St Annes, Preston and surrounding areas across Lancashire.
We are MCS certified and RECC accredited, and our team works across solar PV, battery storage, EV charging, air source heat pumps and electrical installations.
Because we work across these technologies, we can look at the wider electrical requirements of your property rather than treating battery storage as an isolated product.
Whether you already have solar panels, want a battery only installation or are planning a complete renewable energy system, we can assess your property and recommend an appropriate solution.
Considering home battery storage this winter?
Speak to West Coast Electrical & Renewables about your current electricity use, existing solar system and future plans.
