7 things to know before installing a solar battery at home

As the cost of electricity rises and a lot of us work from home, more consumers are eager to learn about what it takes to install a solar PV system in their homes. However, many homeowners are often unaware that they can unlock the full potential of solar by pairing it up with a solar battery system which can allow you to power more of your home with clean, solar energy.

If you are looking at taking the plunge into homegrown, renewable energy, take a look at seven of our most frequently asked questions below.

Why is it worth installing a solar battery?

When your solar panels generate more energy than your household needs, the excess energy needs to go somewhere. For households without a smart battery, that energy is sent back to the grid. Then when your household requires more energy than your solar panels can provide, you will need to buy energy back from the grid usually at a higher price than you were paid for the solar energy you exported.

One of the main benefits of a solar battery is the opportunity to store the solar electricity which would have been sent to the grid and reduce your energy bill.  Getting a smart battery also means that you are able to enjoy more of the carbon-free solar electricity that you generate so you can reduce your carbon footprint.

Optimised batteries from Moixa also come with a Moixa Dashboard and app, which allows you to keep track of your household consumption, solar generation and grid usage, so you can see how your solar panels and battery are performing for your household needs.

How much does a solar battery system cost?

Our prices range from £4,450 to £6,250 depending on the capacity you need to best support your home solar energy needs. The bigger the storage capacity, the higher the cost, but it is worth noting that these prices include VAT and standard installation and we also offer flexible payment terms so you can spread the cost of your installation.

Naturally, if you have a big roof with a large number of solar panels, you will need a larger capacity of solar battery to store some of the excess solar energy you generate.

Smart batteries owners can also unlock additional benefits by participating in flexibility services: with GridShare Membership, you can support the grid’s current infrastructure and reduce the need for additional network upgrade work which has both environmental and monetary cost impacts for communities.

How much can solar battery storage save you?

Accurate payback time is always difficult to estimate as it does depend on your lifestyle, the amount of solar you install, the efficiency of your solar panels and future energy prices.

What we can say is that Moixa solar battery storage offers the ability to use solar power and lower-cost grid energy during peak consumption times, when electricity costs are highest, as it comes with in-build smart software that can optimise charging based on all these inputs. So, if you consume a lot of electricity in the morning or evening (typical peak times) and have a time-of-use tariff (which allows you to charge the battery with lower-cost energy), you would benefit from solar battery storage.

In fact, by installing smart energy storage in combination with time-of-use tariffs, you can ensure that your battery is charged when there is a lot of renewable energy generated and when energy prices are at their lowest. You can then use this energy at a later time when energy generation is lower and electricity prices are high, without needing to worry. You can read more about time-of-use tariffs in our blog post.

How difficult is the installation process?

The installation process for a battery is much easier than you might imagine. Your battery can be up and running in a day and it’s all handled by Moixa Accredited Installers.

One key consideration, however, is that you will need to have space for the battery within 10 metres of your main consumer unit.

The key stages of installation fall into four main areas:

Pre-Booking: a short survey, making sure that our installer knows where and how the installation will take place.

Delivery: your items will be delivered ready for installation.

Installation: as mentioned above, the installation itself will be carried out by trained electricians who have been accredited by our team. They will handle the installation and will tidy up the site once it is complete.

Post-Install: we will monitor that your battery is behaving as expected and help you set up your Moixa Dashboard and App so you can see how the battery is working within your home.

What if the solar battery runs into issues?

Should one of our solar battery systems run into issues, we will either deploy fixes remotely – as we monitor all of our battery systems – or we will send out one of our Moixa Accredited Installers to resolve the issue in person.

We also offer a friendly and knowledgeable customer support team who are available Monday – Friday from 9am – 6pm. If you require additional support, you can also visit our Help Centre.

What if you already have a solar PV system?

There’s nothing to worry about here, as a battery can be installed as an add-on to your existing solar panels. Even better, a solar battery will only improve the cost-effectiveness of your existing solar PV system, allowing you to store the excess solar energy you generate so you can use it when you need it.

What if you don’t have a solar PV system yet?

This is also fine, as we can offer a range of solar and battery packages to homes that don’t already have solar at their property. Our friendly team will help you choose a system that works well for your household, looking at what fits best in relation to your current energy use, your property and the available space for solar. We offer high-quality panels and installation, with Tier-1 panels installed by MCS accredited installers.