Buying A Solar Battery? What You Need To Know

After a record uptake of solar power by Australians over the past few years solar batteries have become the latest hot commodity in the renewables market. While buying a solar power system with a battery was quite rare early on in the solar boom it has become more and more common to see them bundled in with new systems.

For those who did not have one bundled with their original system the ever expanding marketplace for solar batteries can be a bit overwhelming. Luckily for you we have decided to make a guide of sorts so you can understand what to expect when purchasing your own solar battery. Just like your solar power system purchasing a battery should be viewed as an investment so making sure you are informed before going ahead is key.

How Much Can I Expect To Spend?

Your outlay for a battery can depend on several variables including brand and obviously battery capacity as well as additional features such as in-built inverters. Depending on the age of your existing solar system you may need certain features in order for it to integrate and function correctly. This is why we will always try to arrange an on-site inspection before suggesting the right battery for you.

If you are looking for a smaller solar battery with 6kWh of storage capacity you can expect a price range between $4500–$9600. Stepping up to 10kWh a price range of $9800–$14,000 should be expected depending on features. Larger batteries with a storage capacity of 13kWh will see a typical price range of $10,000 to $18,000.

Will A Solar Battery Benefit Me Financially?

We mentioned before how the purchase of a solar battery should be viewed as an investment of sorts and for good reason. The price of a quality solar battery means you should make sure it stands to benefit you financially over its lifetime. In working this out the first question you need to ask yourself is how big is your current power bill with your current solar system.

While solar power can completely offset your grid dependence during the day, the reality is most of us are working so the biggest power draw for our home is in the evening when solar power does not work. Through feed-in tariffs we can offset our power bill by feeding excess power back into the grid during the day which is one of the best features of solar power.

While the credit we get certainly helps the household budget, using our own solar power at night will work out better financially. If your home has a high power consumption during the evening then a solar battery makes sense. We can still feed excess power back to the grid during the day once the battery is full so we can get the best of both worlds.

What Kind Of Lifespan Should I Expect From A Solar Battery?

At a minimum you can expect your solar battery to last 10 years. Every solar battery comes with a warranty and this is a key indicator of what you should expect in terms of lifespan. The brand you choose is also important as we want a company that is here to stay in order to get support should anything go awry. The last thing we want is a battery failing and the company is no longer operational.

We only stock and supply solar batteries from reputable and proven manufacturers who are not going anywhere anytime soon. These companies include Tesla who is a world leader in battery design and manufacture with the Powerwall 2 being an extremely popular solar battery. We also stock batteries from Aussie experts RedEarth who have a massive range of solar batteries for on and off-grid use backed by great warranties and outstanding customer support.

Rebates For Solar Batteries

Solar rebates are a big part of the industry and this is no different for solar batteries. The difference between a solar battery making financial sense or not can often come down to what rebates are available to you based on what state you live in. The good news is no matter where you are, a solar battery qualifies for Small-scale Technology Certificates under the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme.

For adding more value we need to look at state specific rebates that apply to solar batteries. In New South Wales the Empowering Homes initiative means you can get interest-free loans for the sale and installation of solar batteries. This includes up to $14,000 for a solar and battery system and $9,000 for a retrofit.

While not a rebate the opportunity to join a Virtual Power Plant (VPP) program is available across the country and is a great way to offset your solar batteries cost. VPP’s are becoming increasingly more common as solar uptake soars. By joining a VPP you agree to give access to the energy stored in your battery to them so they can supply the traditional grid when power demand is at its highest.

Virtual Power Plants are one of the most exciting aspects of the booming renewables market as they let everyday people provide the power needed which reduces the need to harvest and process fossil fuels. We fully expect this to be the norm in the near future which will only push the value of solar further.

Will A Solar Battery Help In A Blackout?

It can, but it depends on what inverter you have. It is a common misconception that a solar system with a battery will render blackouts a thing of the past regardless of your solar system components. This is due to something called “anti-islanding” protection. If a blackout occurs engineers may need to work on lines or equipment in the area especially if it’s during a storm.

If this is the case then your solar system will be shut down completely because it would otherwise be feeding power into the grid, representing a serious threat to the wellbeing of those working on an otherwise shutdown network. Higher end inverters can certainly provide anti-islanding protection but you should expect to pay more for an inverter with this function.

Glossary Of Commonly Used Solar Battery Terms

Throughout your search for the perfect solar battery you are going to come across a bunch of industry specific jargon. In an effort to curb the confusing caused by these terms we have compiled a little list of the most common terms used when describing a battery’s capabilities.

Depth of discharge

Depth of discharge, or DoD, is the measurement of how much stored energy can be used without shortening a batteries lifespan. Batteries rarely like to be completely drained so manufacturers will specify how much power will be reserved from a full charge in order to prevent damage to the battery itself.

Battery Capacity

While it might seem obvious at first we include capacity here because it is usually broken down into 2 different measurements. The first is “nominal capacity” which is a measurement of the total amount of power that a battery can hold. The “usable capacity” is how much power can actually be used once factors like DoD are accounted for. Gross and net power capacity is a familiar way to view this.

Efficiency

As the technology behind batteries improved the measurement of efficiency tends to become less and less relevant. At its core it is a measurement of how much charge is fed into the battery compared to the amount it can put out.

Charge/discharge cycles

The next 2 terms are connected as the expected lifespan of a battery can be measured in either time or the amount of times it has been charged and discharged with warranties often including both. Your battery does have a limit on how many times it can cycle and this should always be a known variable when making a purchase.

Battery Lifespan

As mentioned above this is commonly tied to the amount of cycles a battery can perform before there is a significant reduction in the amount of charge it can hold. Even when a battery’s lifespan is stated in years this is usually a measurement of expected use to determine how long it would take to get to the amount of cycles before degradation.

External temperature range

This is not a measurement of how hot the battery itself can get but rather what the ambient temperature needs to be for it to operate. It might seem strange but if it gets too hot or too cold where the battery is located it can impact its lifespan or even stop it from working.

Looking For The Right Solar Battery?

If you are on the search for the right solar battery for your home or businesses needs our solar consultants are available to discuss what product will meet your individual criteria. Everyone’s power storage needs are different and what options are available to you are dependent on your existing solar power system and power draw.

We will work with you to collect all the relevant information and then provide you with options that suit you, not our bottom line. Our goal is and always has been complete customer satisfaction and our commitment to the industry means we will work to get you the best outcome possible.

To talk with a solar consultant in regards to the purchase of a solar battery or a complete solar power system with a battery included call us on 1800 255 474 or fill in our online contact form to have us get back to you as soon as possible.