Solar batteries: a plain guide
What a battery does, what it doesn't, and how to tell whether it suits your home.
What a battery does
Your panels make most of their power in the middle of the day. If nobody's home, much of that would go out to the grid. A battery stores it so you can use it in the evening instead.
If you're on a tariff with a cheaper night rate, we set the battery up to charge from it as well.
What it doesn't do
A battery doesn't make your panels produce more. In December, when output is low, there's little spare to store, so a battery won't change what the panels make in mid-winter. We'd rather say that now than have you find out in your first winter.
Battery, diverter, or neither yet?
Out all day, busy evenings
A battery usually earns its place, because without one most of your daytime generation is exported.
Home by day, or a hot-water cylinder
A diverter such as the myenergi eddi can send spare solar to your hot water first. You can add a battery later.
EV or heat pump on the way
We'll size for where you'll be in a few years, not just today.
We run your usage both ways, with and without a battery, so you can see the difference before you decide. Your smart-meter data helps a lot here.
The batteries we fit
We generally fit lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries with a built-in battery management system. They're modular, so you can add capacity later.
Battery brands we fit: EcoFlow, Huawei, GoodWe, Sigenergy and SolaX. We choose what suits your home and any kit you already have.
Where it goes
Batteries can go on an outside wall, in a garage or utility, or in the attic, depending on the model and your home. We agree the spot at the survey.
The SEAI battery grant
SEAI pays a €600 grant for a battery, in the same application as your panels or later on. Approval has to be in place before work starts. The grants, explained →
Already have solar?
We can add a battery or a diverter to an existing system, including one another installer fitted. Repairs and health checks are handled by our repairs side at solarrepairs.ie.
Not sure if a battery is worth it for you?
Send us your smart-meter data and we'll show you both options: with and without a battery.