Solar panels can take care of your electricity needs during the day, but if you want to store excess energy for use at night, you’re going to need a solar storage battery.
These systems store excess electricity generated by solar panels for use in the evenings and on cloudy days when generation is slower.
Choosing the right size battery means matching your storage to your current energy needs, while also keeping the future in mind.
If you’ve invested in high-quality solar panels, you want to get the best value for your money. Choosing the right solar battery can help you achieve that.
Why the size of your solar battery matters
A home solar storage battery is one of the biggest factors in how much value you get from your solar panels. It determines how much of your own clean energy you can keep hold of and use, how often you need to rely on the grid, and how predictable your bills feel throughout the year. Getting the size right will shape the day-to-day performance of your whole solar system.
A battery that’s too small for your needs could mean you won’t be able to store enough excess energy to meet your needs. When your solar array is generating more electricity than you need, you’ll end up exporting the extra energy back to the grid. They’ll pay you for it at a low price. Later, if you have to import that electricity back from the grid, you could end up paying a higher rate to buy it back. Retaining as much energy as you can will save you money in the long run.
However, choosing a battery that’s too large could be an unnecessarily expensive upfront cost that you want to avoid. Your ideal battery size should be big enough to cover your typical household energy needs in one day, during those periods when your solar panels are not generating electricity.
Considering your energy demands
It’s important to consider when you use your most energy-intensive appliances throughout the day. Washing machines, tumble dryers and electric vehicle charging can all increase energy demands at various times.
Adding new appliances will also affect your use. So, it’s always advisable to allow for a little extra storage compared to what you’re using today.
A slightly larger solar battery will give you flexibility for your future energy needs, help you avoid over-reliance on grid imports if your usage increases, and maximise the benefit of your solar panels over the long term.
Expandable battery systems
The Sigenergy SigenStor solar storage battery offers a useful solution to the problem. It’s expandable. This means you can buy what you need for now, then, as your energy use grows, you can add additional modules without replacing the system.
Your battery storage can scale with your needs, without overspending upfront. For example, if you decide to buy an EV in the future, you could cover the additional storage needs with an extra battery module, rather than making do with an undersized battery and paying to import electricity unnecessarily from the grid.
With real-time monitoring and control via an app, you’re also able to get instant insight into solar generation, battery status and EV charging, as well as adjusting your use patterns to maximise efficiency and savings.
A range of other benefits
Alongside the expandable battery, the SigenStor solar battery offers a range of other helpful features. Its smart energy management system automatically decides when to charge or discharge your battery based on your home’s energy use, solar production, battery level and electricity tariffs.
It will prioritise electricity drawn from your solar array in the first instance. But when your panels aren’t generating any electricity, such as at night, it can choose where to take energy from. It will import energy from the grid during low tariff periods when electricity is cheapest, and draw from the battery to save money during high tariff periods. This ensures you get the most cost-efficient energy supply at all times.
In the event of a power cut, the SigenStor can rapidly switch to drawing stored energy from the solar battery. It detects power cuts automatically, to ensure a continuous supply to your home with minimal disruption. This helps keep your essential appliances like fridges, freezers, electrical heating and EV chargers running without manual intervention.
Considering a solar battery?
If you’re considering installing new solar panels with a battery, or even retrofitting a solar battery to an existing array, Sigenergy’s SigenStor could be right for you. It offers many benefits in terms of efficiency and cost savings, and can take care of your growing energy needs as your life changes.
You can start with a simple setup, ready to be expanded with additional battery modules in the years to come, without needing to replace your whole system.
Our team here at Electrical Innovations (Derby) Ltd will be happy to chat with you to discuss your needs and expectations for your solar battery. With years of experience in providing tailored solar solutions for homes in Derby and the East Midlands, we can offer you peace of mind that you’ll be getting the right systems for your needs. Get in touch now for an obligation-free chat about whether a SigenStor system could be right for you.
