The Best Solar Battery Storage For Solar Panels UK

Written-by

Janet Richardson

Reviewed-by

Richard Burdett-Gardiner

Updated on

Oct 01, 2024

The Best Solar Battery Storage For Solar Panels UK

Since solar panels became financially viable one major stumbling block to the power, they generate day to day has been how to use the energy when the sun isn’t shining. Up until relatively recently, it has been impossible to store your excess solar energy safely and cost-effectively. However, there are now many solar battery storage solutions breaking onto the market in the UK. They vary in size and cost from a loaf of bread to around the size of a dishwasher and all have the ultimate aim of reducing your reliance on the National Grid. I'm sure you're asking yourself 'what is the best battery for me?' We aim to answer that question for you. 

This development has the potential to make each home energy-independent and to greatly reduce our reliance on large utility companies and the National Grid. It’s one of the big innovations of the last few years and it is beginning to gather pace.

In short, solar battery technology for solar panels could revolutionise the way we use energy. The good news is that in recent years the solar battery industry has really moved forward and with products from companies like Tesla and Samsung the future is starting to look much brighter.

Many suppliers and installers in the UK are now incorporating combined solar panels and solar battery/batteries when they visit a customer. These are still relatively early days, but this technology could allow the solar industry to thrive without the need for subsidies paid to us for electricity we send back to the grid and allow us to use all the electricity our solar panels produce within the home/business. Potentially, this will allow us to become energy self-sufficient. 

As solar panel and solar battery efficiency improves, a lot of homeowners across the UK should be able to cover all their electrical needs through solar power and battery storage solutions.   

What are Solar Batteries?

Solar panels fit on your roof and collect energy from the sun. They use solar cells and an inverter to convert this energy to electricity and currently provide power for thousands of homes and businesses across the UK. Mostly, this electricity is produced when the sun is shining onto the panels, and any that isn't used at the point of generation is then sent to the National Grid. It's usually sent to neighbouring properties and the utility companies then make a profit on it. 

Homes and businesses with solar panels can sell their electricity to utility companies and receive a set amount through the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) in return – the Grid acts as the storage mechanism ensuring we have power 24/7.

Solar batteries store the excess electricity generated by the solar panels that we don't use at the point of generation for use on demand, say in the evenings when the sun isn't shining or just when there's a higher demand than your panels can handle. 

Why we need Battery Storage

When solar power first started to emerge on the market, the concept of power storage and how to achieve it became a heavily discussed topic and spent quite some time at the forefront of the minds of developers. However, the quick and easy solution of channelling excess power back to the grid took centre stage, and combined with the feed-in tariff initiative, this led to a great number of people having panels installed on their roofs.

In addition to this, a number of businesses and organisations started to see solar panels as a way of boosting their image when it came to green energy, as well as a means of reducing their energy bills overall. However, a lot of this remained dependent on a subsidy that had the utility companies paying a tariff for the electricity that was produced and sent back to them. This works to an extent; the issue of course is that you get paid less per unit of electricity that you send to the utility company than you pay per unit for electricity they send to you. 

In some ways, this is a good thing as it will lead to further research and development of systems that are independent of the grid. We are already seeing some of the benefits of efficient batteries that can be placed in homes or businesses. What this means is that we have a workable storage solution that should allow people to use the electricity they produce at any time they wish. All without needing to pay utility companies.

The Problems with Battery Storage

The main problem with battery storage for solar energy had always been rooted in their efficiency and how long they would last before they needed to be replaced, alongside the cost compared to remaining hooked up to the National Grid. Initially, the notion of a good return on your investment was incredibly limited, but over the past couple of years, there seems to have been quite a lot of things changing.

The main thing to note here is the dramatic decrease in price and increase in quality – a combination that you do not usually see. For example, the Tesla battery was priced at £10,000, and now it can be £5800 (not including installation). However, while the price has decreased dramatically, there are still issues with the concept of solar batteries. Most of this stems from the question “Can you really leave the grid?”

This is a question that many have asked when faced with the prospect of a solar battery. After all, if you don’t produce enough power during the day and run out at night, you will be completely without power until the next morning if you are cut off from the grid. This is especially true when we take into consideration that you can expect around 20% of the power to be lost through natural means over the course of the day.

The Benefits of Battery Storage in the UK

If you decide to remain connected to the grid and your solar battery is essentially full, the excess will still be sent back to the grid, and you will still be eligible for payments for it. As the price of electricity rises, storing your excess means that your electricity system can become more cost-effective, saving you money as you will pay less to your energy supplier. 

You can expect storage systems like this to become more efficient as energy prices rise. Battery storage is the first step to self-sufficiency.

The Renewable Energy Hub provides a directory of approved installation companies for you to contact. 
https://www.renewableenergyhub.co.uk/search-installers

Table of Solar Batteries Available on the UK Market

The table below shows estimated prices for the various solar batteries available. Prices change over time and although we will try to keep this table up-to-date, always check with an installation company or distributor for accurate prices.  

Battery Model	Capacity (kWh)	Est. Price (£) Exc VAT
Tesla Powerwall 2	13.6	£5,400
LG Chem RESU 10H	9.8	£5,100
Enphase Encharge 10	10.5	£8,000
SonnenBatterie Eco 10	10	£4,500
BYB Battery-Box Premium HVS 10.2	10.2	£6,192
Pylontech US300C	3.5	£1,000
Tesla Powerwall 3	14	£6,300
LG Chem RESU 16H	16	£7,600
Huawei Luna2000-10	10	£4,500
Solax Triple Power 6.3	6.3	£2,500

What are the Best Batteries in the UK now? 2024

Tesla Batteries

One of the prime movers in the solar power storage market has been Tesla, perhaps better known for its work on hybrid and electric cars to date. They have used the technology they have developed in the car manufacturing market to produce a lithium-ion battery which they call Powerwall. They currently produce a 14kW battery that is easy to install and stores the electricity your solar panels generate. These are guaranteed for 10 years and can store the energy needed for a normal working home provided your solar panels produce enough to charge it. 

Additional batteries can be added for those with higher electricity needs. The Powerwall also contains the inverter to convert DC to AC. Weighing about the same as an average person, the Tesla Powerwall is certainly a large piece of kit and costs approx. £5,000 with an additional £800 for the required gateway (not including installation and install prices which vary wildly). Tesla began shipping their Powerwall range of solar batteries to the UK in September 2015.

Will the price continue to drop? That depends on future advances in battery technology, production costs, and whether the market continues to take up this kind of technology in large numbers which is going to depend on a number of factors, including efficiency and longevity.

Tesla Powerwall 2.0

The Tesla Powerwall 2 is a rechargeable lithium-ion battery storage system, primarily designed to be used with a solar PV system. Many people will associate Tesla with its electric cars, but this also means they have great knowledge of making batteries. The Tesla Powerwall 2 is a very good example of this as it achieves the rare accomplishment of a 100% usable energy capacity. 

This means that you can use all 13.5 kWh of the Powerwall 2’s available power which when you need to use the entire battery’s charge, can be very useful. 

Most solar batteries have usable capacities lower than their actual capacity so for example you may only be able to use 90% of a battery’s available power. 

Powerwall 2 is extremely quiet and has been designed to be aesthetically pleasing with its streamlined and futuristic appearance. 

You can stack multiple Powerwalls together if extra power is needed but with a robust capacity of 13.5 kWh, most households will function very well with just a single unit. The Powerwall 2 is perfect for larger households or for those wanting to run their car on solar energy.

Powerwall 2 can be installed indoors and outdoors and is connected directly to a building’s standard electrics, so when the energy stored by the battery has been used up and if no solar energy is available directly from your PV system, you automatically draw what is needed from the national grid instead. 

It has a power output of 5 kW which can cover more demand for electricity at peak times when you have several appliances running at the same time for example. All but the most energy-thirsty appliances will be covered. Kettles would be fine but electric power showers and fast EV chargers would only be partially covered. 

The battery system comes with an easy-to-understand and informative mobile phone app to show you when your battery is charging and discharging and how little grid electricity you are using. 

As Tesla also supplies solar panels it makes it easier for homeowners to buy a solar-plus-storage system in one place. However, they are also designed to work with any solar PV setup because they use AC rather than DC power and so can be easily retrofitted to an existing solar panel system. 

Tesla Powerwall 2 comes with a 10-year manufacturer’s warranty for unlimited cycles and 80% of the original energy capacity when the system is charged using solar energy. If your Powerwall 2 falls below 80% of its original capacity within those 10 years you will qualify for a replacement. It is expected though that most Powerwall batteries will continue to work effectively for many years after the warranty runs out. Energy capacity may reduce a little over time. 

A Tesla Powerwall 2 costs between £5,800 and £8,000 but will depend on the complexity of the installation needed. Determining factors are whether you are on a single-phase or a three-phase supply and the VAT for which you are eligible. 

Tesla Powerwall 3

Powerwall 3 is a fully integrated solar and battery system, which has been designed to meet the needs of your home. Powerwall 3 can supply more power than Powerwall 2 with a single unit and is designed for easy expansion as a modular system to meet your present or future requirements.

However, you cannot add a Powerwall 3 to a Powerwall 2. Powerwall 3 features an integrated solar inverter which allows solar to be connected directly for high efficiency; it can also be added to existing solar or installed on its own, like Powerwall 2. Powerwall 3 can store solar or grid energy for use when the sun goes down or when the electricity prices are particularly high. The obvious advantages of this facility are lower electricity bills, reduced reliance on the grid, and the ability to power your home during a power outage. Power Wall 3 can also be AC-coupled to add to an existing solar system. 

Once Tesla Powerwall 3 has been installed you can manage the home energy system using the Tesla App as well as customise system behaviour to meet your energy needs. Powerwall 3 can achieve this by supporting up to 20 kW DC of solar and providing 11.04 kW AC of continuous power per unit.

It can store up to 13.5 kWh of energy and start heavy loads rated up to 185 A LRA, which means that a single Powerwall 3 can provide the power needs of most homes. In comparison, the Powerwall 2 has a continuous output of 5 kW which is a considerable difference from the Powerwall 3. Powerwall 3 has been designed to allow for fast and efficient installations, modular system expansion, and simple connection to any electrical service. The main difference between the Tesla Powerwall 2 and 3 is that the Powerwall 3 has a higher power output, making it better for larger homes or those with higher energy demands. The Powerwall 3's higher output means it can power more devices at once. 

The backup Gateway is a main feature of the Powerwall 2 and 3 system that allows your home to be powered during a power outage. You will need a Backup Gateway 2, Backup Switch, or Gateway 3 to use a Tesla Powerwall 3. They act as a gateway between the Powerwall and the grid, disconnecting the Powerwall during power outages. This ensures business continuity and reduces the cost of downtime. The Backup Gateway also performs other functions including:

System management
The Backup Gateway learns and adjusts to your home's energy consumption patterns over time. 

Energy monitoring
The Backup Gateway monitors the amount of power flowing into and out of the home. 

Islanding
The Backup Gateway can disconnect the home from the utility grid during a power outage. 

Site meter
The Backup Gateway measures the energy coming from the solar system and Powerwall. 

You can now purchase a Tesla Powerwall 3 for £6,300. This figure does not include VAT, installation costs, or delivery costs. The price for a Tesla Powerwall 3 in the UK ranges from £6,300 to £10,000.

Here is a summary of some of the specifications for the Tesla Powerwall 3:

• Energy capacity: 13.5 kWh 
• Power output: 11.04 kW AC continuous power, 7 kW peak 
• Solar input: Up to 20 kW DC 
• Battery chemistry: Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (NMC) 
• Round trip efficiency: 90% 
• Expansion packs: Available for plug-and-play expansion 
• Resistance: Flood, weather, and dust resistant 
• Installation: Designed for fast and efficient installation 
• Connection: Can be connected to any electrical service 
• Modularity: Can be expanded as a modular system 

Powervault P5 

Powervault solar batteries are proudly manufactured in the United Kingdom, combining advanced energy storage technology with local production to support sustainable energy solutions for homes and businesses.

Powervault’s latest range of solar batteries includes the Powervault P5, the Powervault P4, and the Powervault PV Compact. The Powervault P5 is a state-of-the-art, fully integrated, modular, and upgradeable solar and storage device. The Powervault P5 uses lithium-ion battery cells, known for their high energy density, longevity, and reliability. Powervault batteries store excess energy from your solar and cheap off-peak energy from the grid. Its proprietary AI-enabled software, SMARTSTOR, optimises your Powervault P5 battery in real-time to ensure that you are always using the cheapest and greenest, energy. It offers you a simple solution to lowering your energy bills and reducing your carbon footprint. 

The British-made Powervault P5 has a slim modular design in either grey or white and is both compact and robust. You can choose either a 3.6kW or 6kW hybrid inverter which can be oversized to accommodate 5.4kW or 9kW of solar PV panels, respectively. There are 4 different capacity options, 5, 10, 15, or 20kWh and they are SMARTSTOR enabled. The Powervault P5 can be tailored to your particular energy needs. 

The Powervault P5 has an ‘AC Usable’ storage capacity of 4, 8, 12, or 16 kWh depending on the specification, making it suitable for homes with moderate to high energy consumption. The same capacity options measured in ‘DC Nominal’ are 5.12, 10.24, 15.36 and 20.48 kWh.
The smallest P5 has dimensions of 640 x 955 x 210mm (w x h x d) and weighs 90kg, whilst the largest measures 640 x 2,180 x 210mm and weighs 235kg.

The Powervault P5 is easy to install and can be located indoors or outdoors (IP65 rated). It comes with multi-layered safety features and an emergency power option. There is easy access to a Powervault customer portal and excellent customer support. Powervault 5 batteries are guaranteed for 10 years. 

The Powervault P5 can not only be directly connected to a new solar PV and storage installation but fitted on its own to bring a property up to date or connected to an existing renewable energy system on-site. The Powervault P5 is compatible with all grid-connected solar PV and wind turbines. If you receive feed-in-tariff generation payments, they will not be affected by retrofitting a Powervault P5. Prices start at £2,500 for a Powervault P5. 

As mentioned previously, SMARTSTOR is the AI brain behind Powervault's energy management software. This software is capable of optimising the use of off-peak energy to deliver 80% more savings than a regular solar battery. It learns your energy usage patterns, checks the weather forecast, plugs in data points from your grid energy supplier, and knows when the cheapest energy is available on your time-of-use tariff. It uses this information to plan a schedule for your Powervault battery working out in advance when you can rely on renewables and when you can’t. SMARTSTOR helps you to make the most of the energy available to you. SMARTSTOR maximises your solar energy by forecasting solar generation and aligning it with energy consumption patterns. By doing this SMARTSTOR, optimises self-consumption and reduces reliance on the grid for optimum energy efficiency.

SMARTSTOR intelligent AI manages grid charging by analysing next-day weather forecasts, energy usage patterns, and tariff rates, charging at cheap rates to reduce reliance on expensive imports. With Powervault’s SMARTSTOR prescriptive analytics, you can leave the decision-making to the experts and sit back and relax while reaping the benefits. Powervault P5, unlike many of its competitors, can dynamically adjust charging schedules rather than just reporting on historical events.

GivEnergy

GivEnergy is a British renewable energy support systems battery manufacturer, offering a comprehensive storage system that includes inverters, batteries, and a state-of-the-art control and monitoring platform. GivEnergy has become a popular choice in the UK because of its award-winning domestic battery designs, streamlined software, and reliable customer support.

The GivEnergy monitoring platform is one of the most advanced platforms on the market. It allows full monitoring control, remote firmware upgrades, and site-specific settings as well as full readiness for flexibility services which is ideal for futureproofing. What’s more, it is all supported by a UK technical team.

The Givenergy range includes four different lithium-ion batteries with capacities from 2.6 to 9.5 kWh. Its premium product is an innovative hybrid battery/inverter called the All in One, which combines the functions of both inverter and battery. The All-in-One battery comes with 13.5kWh capacity as standard from a single battery. It can also be stacked to provide even more power. GivEnergy offers a 12-year battery warranty, and these units have an expected lifespan of between fifteen and 20 years. They are specifically designed for residential and small commercial use to store power from solar panels to keep costs low and reduce reliance on the power grid. The batteries are fully recyclable, non-flammable, and non-toxic. 

GivEnergy batteries work with the Agile Octopus tariff and other Economy 7 tariffs. This means users can charge their batteries when energy prices are lowest to maximise savings. The Agile Octopus smart tariff offers energy prices which are updated every 30 minutes, and the price tracking encourages customers to use energy during off-peak hours.

Customers who make changes to their energy usage to improve supply and demand matching and reduce emissions, can save money, and benefit the environment.
The cost of installing a GivEnergy solar battery starts at a ballpark figure of around £4,500 for a 3-bedroom house.

SonnenBatterie 10

The SonnenBatterie 10 is a modern, stylish, future-proof, battery system. Sonnen introduced its 4.6kW SonnenBatterie 10 product in the UK and Ireland following an initial launch in Germany. Lithium-iron-phosphate is used for the SonnenBatterie 10, the same as its other SonnenBatterie offerings. The Sonnenbatterie 10 is packed with high-performance features. These features include a 4.6 kW charge and discharge rate, smart home readiness, SonnenVPP virtual power plant capability, a 10-year, 10,000 cycles warranty, an Option for emergency backup power with the Sonnen Protect 4000, and two different storage capacities to match your needs.

The battery offers a modular design, allowing for it to be expanded from 11kWh to 22kWh, with the possibility for expansions of up to 198kWh for small businesses or homes with larger electricity needs.

It comes in three storage capacities (usable energy), 5.5 kWh,10 kWh, and 20 kWh. If you have the 10-kWh configuration installed, you will need a single cabinet. Cabinet dimensions are 172-184 cm tall, 69 cm wide, and 27 cm deep. If you require the 20-kWh configuration you will need two of these cabinets. 

10 kWh of storage works well for the average UK home. If your annual electricity requirement is around 3,650 kWh a year, it equates to 10 kWh a day which is exactly what the entry-level SonnenBatterie can provide. If your annual electricity requirement is around 8,000 kWh and above, then the SonnenBatterie 20 kWh version should be considered.

The Sonnen battery system stands out as a flexible quality option. With everything connected to the internet, you also get automatic software updates which keeps everything efficient. Once installed you won’t need to do anything. 

The Sonnenbatterie 10 battery costs from £4,500 up to £10,000 depending on the kW capacity you choose.

LG Chem

The LG Chem solar battery is a residential storage solution that is designed to be paired with a solar panel system. The LG Chem RESU which stands for Residential Energy Storage Unit, allows you to make the most of your solar energy consumption at home and can also act as a source of backup power. The battery functions as a backup source of power if the electric grid goes down. This is very useful in areas where the grid can be unstable, and the battery is sufficient to keep your home powered for hours. These are ideal for individual household storage systems.

Each of the units has a built-in circuit breaker for ease of installation when the connection is made. The LG Chem RESU is not suitable for completely off-grid systems.

The batteries are lithium-ion and have an expected lifetime of at least 10 years with more than 6000 cycles to 90% Depth of Discharge. The battery is available in 5 capacities, 2.9 kWh, 4.2 kWh, 6.6 kWh, 8.8 kWh, and 9.3 kWh. The LG Chem solar battery ranges in cost from £2,200 up to £5,100 depending on the kW capacity you choose.

You may want to consider the RESU Plus box which has been designed to enable you to combine two of the 48V RESU batteries in your home. It’s possible to increase the storage capacity of your home significantly with this box. The box costs approximately £290 + VAT and its dimensions are 385 x 240 x 56 (W x H x D, mm).

The LG Chem battery is ideal for those who want flexible storage options. As it is IP55 weather-rated, it can be placed indoors or outdoors though it is recommended to put it in a covered location to keep it out of direct sunlight. Some models such as the RESU 10H have a quiet operation and feature continuous power and DC round-trip efficiency. Storage capacity can be increased at any time by adding another LG Chem battery. 

If the LG Chem battery is paired with the SolarEdge hybrid inverter it makes an unbeatable combination for battery backup in a power outage. It also comes with a smartphone app to allow you to monitor and manage the use of solar.

Enphase Encharge T Series 

The second-generation Enphase Encharge 3T and 10T’s are popular for their all-in-one systems and ideal operating temperature (0º C to 30º C). They work well across the whole of the UK and are particularly favoured by homeowners and business owners who are subject to power cuts as the Encharge can help to conserve power until the grid power comes back. 

The smart software of the Enphase Encharge T series is outstanding and allows you to monitor and optimise your usage in real-time using a mobile app. You have access to the data for the clean energy you are producing in the palm of your hand. 

If you opt for the Encharge 3T you get a total usable energy capacity of 3.5kWh and four embedded microinverters with a 1.28kW power rating. If your home needs a larger energy capacity, you can choose the 10T which has a total usable energy capacity of 10.5kWh due to being comprised of three Encharge 3T storage units. It also has 12 embedded microinverters. If your energy needs are any greater you can install a multiple of the Encharge 10T.

These batteries use safe lithium iron phosphate battery cells, can be installed in multiple combinations of capacity and output, and come with 10-year, 3,600-cycle warranties. 

The cost of these batteries before installation is £2,990 for the 3.5 kWh model and between £8,100 and £9000 for the 10.5 kWh model. 

Sunpower

Although Sunpower’s solar battery, Sunvault doesn’t have the best performance and efficiency specs it does feature large amounts of energy storage capacity and a competitive, unlimited-cycle battery warranty. The Sunvault was designed to integrate with Sunpower solar panels and offers customers a more comprehensive install approach. However, the Sunvault battery can be installed with third-party solar panels on an existing solar array as long as it is paired with a compatible inverter. 

Sunvault battery size options are on the larger side. Even its smallest size is comparable to a Tesla Powerwall. A single Sunvault battery can hold between 13 kWh to 19 kWh usable storage capacity. If the 19-kWh battery isn’t big enough you can install an additional SunVault unit also known as a double unit to increase usable storage capacity up to 39 kWh. 

These batteries use safe lithium iron phosphate battery cells and cost between $16,000 - $20,000 with installation for a SunVault single unit and start at $28,000 for a double unit. 

The components of a SunVault battery can be consolidated into one or two boxes and are installed with Hub Plus, inverter, and battery (ESS). The battery itself is made up of 6.5 kWh battery modules that are stored in a larger cabinet-like enclosure called the ESS. The battery enclosure also contains the inverter, which converts DC electricity generated by your solar panels into AC electricity that you can use to power your home. Next to the battery enclosure is the Hub Plus which consists of a few monitoring and control components, with the main one being the system's grid-interconnection device.

This device functions as a transfer switch. It can detect when the power grid is down and switches the system into backup mode. 

Though the Sunvault battery offers large capacity sizes it doesn’t leave much latitude for any smaller sizes in between. This means that capacity upgrades and finding a capacity size that is the perfect size for your home is a bit more difficult. There is the option to install either a single or double unit and each unit contains a specific amount of battery modules. 

SunPower's SunVault storage system gives you the power to decide how the excess solar energy generated by your panels is used, whether that's to power your home during an outage, reduce peak-time electricity charges from your utility, or a combination of both

Can you go off Grid?

This is the big challenge for solar battery technology – whether we can cut off our supply from the National Grid and actually be completely independent of the utility companies. The trouble is, whilst the market is beginning to expand and the technology is developing more rapidly, there is always the worry of what happens when your capacity over-reaches or the battery develops a fault. If you have disconnected yourself from the mains supply or built an off-grid property, then what do you do without any electricity at all?

Then there is the cost of maintaining and replacing batteries and the long-term issues of basically being your own, independent energy producer. 

The truth is that it's still a better option to have a grid supply, but you can certainly get very close to being energy independent, or even accomplish it completely whilst maintaining a backup supply from the grid. 

For businesses with larger systems that need someone onsite to maintain the power it can add even more costs – that of employing people to do the job and the problem if power is suddenly taken away and the consequent loss of sales and revenue.

Storage that’s not just for Solar

Installing a battery system without solar panels can be a viable option. The concept is that you can charge the battery from a lower off-peak tariff and then use that electricity during times of high peak, pocketing the difference. You have to make sure that you'll be saving enough to pay for the initial cost of the battery and to generate some profit within the lifespan of the system. There is always the added concern that your utility company may change the tariff rates. That said, we have seen success with this and it's certainly growing in popularity. 

A battery storage system can be used for any renewable system, including hydroelectric and wind turbines. The unique position of solar is that it only produces sufficient electricity when the sun is shining but storage could also be used for other energy systems to help with times when there is a strain on capacity; for instance, when a factory has a large order to complete.

The Future of Solar Energy Storage

Intelligent battery storage may well be the future of greater energy independence, at least in the coming decades. Many manufacturers are now beginning to produce digital technologies that monitor energy usage and combine that with power production to make sure that electricity is available as and when needed.

For instance, in an average home where everyone is working, more power is used in the morning and the evening than during the day, so batteries can be a common-sense investment. Businesses will have other peak demands that will benefit from a more controlled energy storage system. More efficient solar batteries with a longer lifespan and better capacity will also help make the break from a total reliance on the National Grid and lead us to more independent electricity production.

Currently and in the immediate future we still need a hybrid mechanism that stores electricity but also has access to the National Grid. That will then reduce the amount of electricity that requires a payment to the utility companies. In the longer term, as solar panel and solar battery efficiency increases, we may have a situation where localised energy storage will indeed mean that many of us can become independent of the National Grid.

The question will be how the installation is funded and whether universal access can be created which means we all benefit from clean energy that is homemade. You can find local installers and suppliers of solar panels and storage systems on our database.

Want to know more?

Have you found yourself interested in solar panels? If you want to know more then click on the further reading links on the right. Alternatively, you can always call us using the number at the top of this page.