A battery lets a property use more of the solar electricity it produces, by storing the surplus from the day for later. Green Solar Solutions installs and programs hybrid battery storage systems, with equipment such as GivEnergy, Tesla Powerwall and SolaX as examples.
What a battery does
During the day the panels may produce more than the property is using. Without a battery that surplus goes to the grid. With a battery, it is stored and used later, typically in the evening. A battery does not make electricity; it moves it from when you have it to when you need it, so its usefulness depends on how much surplus the panels have and on when the household uses electricity.
Capacity and power
Capacity, in kilowatt-hours (kWh), says how much a battery can store. Power, in kilowatts (kW), says how fast it can deliver or take in energy. A household needs both: enough capacity for the evening and enough power to run the appliances in use at the same time. Neither is chosen from a general rule; both depend on your usage and on the size of the solar array.
Hybrid inverters
In a hybrid system the panels and the battery connect to the same inverter, which manages the flow of energy between the panels, the battery, the property and the grid. A battery can also be added on the AC side with its own inverter. Which approach suits a property depends on the equipment and on whether solar panels already exist.
Where it can be installed
Manufacturers set out where their batteries may be installed, including temperature limits, ventilation, clearances and access, and the wiring regulations add their own requirements. These are checked against the product’s instructions before a position is agreed.
Programming
The settings are part of the job. A battery can be set to charge from the panels, keep some energy in reserve, or on some tariffs to charge from the grid at certain times. The right choice depends on when the household is home and on the tariff, so the settings are agreed and checked when the system is commissioned.