How Much Do Solar Batteries Cost in the UK?

Solar batteries are a crucial component of home energy systems, allowing homeowners to store excess solar power for use at night or during power outages. In the UK, the average solar battery cost varies from £2,500 to over £10,000, depending on capacity, battery type, and other factors.

While this is a significant upfront investment, government grants, 0% VAT, and long-term energy savings are making them very cost-effective. In this article, we’ll break down average costs, what influences pricing, and why they’re worth considering.

Solar batteries cost between £2,500 and £10,000 for the average UK home. 

However, those average costs vary with capacity as follows:

Now, let’s examine what factors affect the cost of your battery storage.

Battery capacity is the primary factor affecting cost. The more solar panels you have and the more energy you use, the larger and more expensive your battery storage must be.

If you have high energy needs and a limited budget, choose stackable models that can be expanded later. The EcoFlow Power Ocean (Single-Phase) starts at 5kWh but can be expanded up to 45kWh by stacking additional batteries.

The type of battery also affects cost. Older lead-acid models are cheap. However, their poor depth-of-discharge (DoD) and short lifespan make them far more expensive in the long run.

This is why high-quality models utilise lithium-iron-phosphate (LiFePO4) for its superior longevity. They cost a bit more, but they have more usable capacity and last years longer for enormous long-term savings.

The DoD has a significant impact on the usable capacity of your battery. LiFePO4 batteries excel since they typically have a DoD of 90% or more. This means that you can use almost all of its capacity before it must be recharged. In contrast, deep-cycle lead-acid batteries have a DoD of only 50%.

Batteries with more charging cycles tend to be more expensive, but that cost is worth it. For instance, lead-acid batteries often have only 500 charging cycles. In contrast, the EcoFlow Power Ocean (Three-Phase) boasts 6,000 charging cycles, which lasts many years longer.

Cheaper models, often mass-produced under unknown brand names, typically have poor warranties and tend not to last long. Quality products may cost more upfront, but you can expect top-notch quality, a longer lifespan, and excellent warranties.

Smart features, such as apps that allow you to monitor your energy production, consumption, and battery state of charge, increase the cost slightly.

Another smart feature is batteries that act as an Emergency Power Supply (EPS), which temporarily disconnect from the grid in the event of a power cut to keep engineers working on the grid safe, while still powering your home.

Warranty is often related to quality; the better the battery, the longer the warranty. Avoid products with warranties less than 10 years. EcoFlow Home Battery options come with a 15-year warranty. 

Since qualified professionals must perform the installation, this also adds to the cost. Larger systems tend to cost more than smaller ones.

Several grants are available in the UK to reduce or eliminate the cost of battery storage.

The ECO4 Scheme can be used to purchase batteries, as they help reduce carbon emissions.

The Warm Homes grant in England offers low-income homes up to £30,000 to fund improvements, including battery systems.

The Welsh Government's Warm Homes Programme may cover the full cost of batteries and more if you have an EPC rating of 54 (E) or lower, are on a low income, or have certain health conditions.

A 0% VAT rate is available until March 2027 for anyone purchasing home battery systems.

People often ask if solar batteries are worth it. Since they store excess solar energy, they enable you to continue using clean, free energy after dark, further lowering your bills. Those on variable tariffs can even recharge their batteries at night when rates are low and use stored energy during peak tariffs. 

They also protect you from future rises in energy costs since you can get nearly all of your electricity from solar. Furthermore, over the lifetime of your solar panels, battery storage can prevent the release of an additional 28 tonnes of greenhouse gases, excellent news for our climate.

For those who work from home or rely on medical equipment, models that function as emergency power supplies can keep equipment running during a power cut, protecting their livelihood and even their lives.

No, you don’t have to pay VAT on batteries. Since 2024, home battery storage is eligible for 0% VAT as a standalone system, without being paired with solar panels. When you purchase them, your supplier automatically excludes the VAT.

The government cut VAT on solar panels to make them more affordable, enabling more UK consumers to adopt renewable energy and reduce their carbon footprint, helping the government achieve its national climate change targets.

The cost of solar batteries in the UK depends on capacity, type, and quality, as well as things like smart features, with prices typically ranging between £2,500 and £10,000. While this can be a significant investment, grants like ECO4, 0% VAT incentives, and lower energy bills make them attractive long-term solutions. 

Pairing your solar panels with the EcoFlow Power Ocean (Single-Phase) ensures reliability, efficiency, and up to 45kWh of scalable storage, allowing you to maximise your solar energy savings.