What Is Home Energy Storage, and Is It Worth It in the UK?

Home energy storage allows UK homeowners to store electricity from solar panels, wind turbines, or the grid for later use. With electricity prices rising and time-of-use tariffs becoming more common, battery storage can help you cut bills, reduce reliance on the grid, and keep the lights on during power cuts. But is it really worth it in the UK? In this guide, we’ll explore how home energy storage works, what you need to install it, and whether it’s a wise investment for your home.

Home energy storage systems store generated electricity or heat in batteries, or sometimes in hot water cylinders in the case of heat. This allows you to store energy so that you can use it later. It’s especially beneficial when you generate your own renewable energy. For instance, it enables you to store solar energy produced during the day when the sun is shining, so you can use it at night. This prevents wasted electricity production and is much more cost-effective than exporting excess electricity back to the grid, only to buy it back later at a much higher rate. 

Home energy storage is designed to store the electricity you produce from solar panels, wind turbines or that you draw from the electrical grid in batteries. Then you can use it at night when your solar panels aren’t producing, during peak tariffs, or during power cuts. 

The system is very straightforward. Your solar battery storage will be installed outside or in your garage. If you simply have a battery bank without a built-in inverter, you will need a separate one installed. The inverter takes the DC (direct current) electricity that your panels produce and your batteries store and converts it into the AC (alternating current) electricity that your home and most appliances need to run. Fortunately, the EcoFlow PowerOcean (Single-Phase) has a built-in inverter, so you don’t need to worry about it.

Once your battery system is wired into your home, everything runs effortlessly. Simply use your appliances like you normally would, and your battery storage will run everything in your home until its capacity is depleted. Then, you draw from the grid. 

If you’re on a time-of-use tariff, you can set your battery to import electricity only during off-peak hours and use battery storage during peak hours to save money.

Whether or not you have solar panels or wind turbines, you can do a simple home retrofit to add battery storage to your current system. 

Buying a quality storage system like the EcoFlow PowerOcean (Single-Phase) makes it simple. It comes with 5kWh of capacity and is easily expandable up to 45kWh by stacking them on top of each other. Plus, it contains a battery management system (BMS) which optimises charging and discharging to ensure a longer lifespan. Even better, there’s a built-in inverter that is perfectly matched and sized to the system. Inverters are essential components of AC-coupled battery storage so that the stored DC electricity can be converted into AC power. If you’re buying a standard battery bank, you must purchase these items separately. 

Additional wiring is needed to connect the batteries to your solar panels and household electricity. You’ll also need a communications cable between the battery and the supply meter. Your electrician will handle all the wiring unless you have the electrical skills (and license) to do it yourself. 

Finally, if using three-phase power, remember that these systems require different wiring configurations and hardware. The EcoFlow PowerOcean (Three-Phase) is specifically designed to work with more efficient three-phase systems. 

Yes, you can have a storage battery without solar panels since batteries can store electricity from any source, not just solar panels. You might get your power from wind, water, or the grid. 

Even without renewable energy, you can save money with time-of-use tariffs. Simply recharge your batteries late at night when tariffs are cheap and use battery storage during peak tariffs. Still, when calculating electricity bills, you’ll quickly see that your savings from battery storage alone are much lower than when combined with solar panels. 

Several essential benefits of home energy storage make the upfront investment well worth it.

If you generate your renewable energy from solar panels, wind turbines, or hydropower, you are wasting power if you don’t have a storage system. Even if you sell your excess electricity back to the grid, the rates you get are much lower than the retail rates you pay when purchasing it. Also, using all the renewable electricity you produce will significantly lower your home's carbon footprint.

Another significant benefit—with or without generating renewable energy—is the ability to store electricity, whether you produce it or buy it during cheap tariffs. So, you can use it during peak tariff hours and avoid those high rates. Then, you don’t have to get up in the middle of the night to start your laundry or dishwasher; simply use your battery during peak tariffs.

Another significant benefit is using your batteries as an emergency power supply (EPS) during power cuts to keep essential equipment like refrigerators, routers, or medical equipment running. You can utilise them in one of two ways, depending on your batteries and their connection to your home. When there’s a power cut, plug the essential devices you need into your batteries and run them. However, the best way is to set your battery up to a dedicated EPS socket in your home, or connect it to specific circuits (or all of your circuits) for a complete home backup system. Your electrician can handle the wiring configuration of those options.

Smart apps that come with quality battery storage systems can help you better control your home's power usage. These apps allow you to monitor your electricity production and consumption. They will also help you identify where, when, and how much energy is being used, so you can find ways to save energy and money.

The primary disadvantage of energy storage is the high upfront cost, which can be difficult for homeowners on a limited budget. Other disadvantages of buying poor-quality products include limited lifespans and capacities, and safety hazards, but purchasing quality products avoids those issues.

How much storage you need to run a home depends entirely on its size and energy needs. You need to calculate your daily energy needs to determine your battery capacity. For example, if you use 9kWh a day, you should get a 10kWh system so you have a buffer for times when usage may be higher.

Home energy storage is worth it in the UK, given the ever-rising cost of electricity. A typical three-bedroom home saves £582 annually with a solar array and battery storage. You can also make the most of renewable energy, lower your carbon footprint, and keep essential appliances running during a power cut.

Home energy storage offers a smart way to cut electricity costs, reduce your carbon footprint, and add resilience to your home’s power supply. While the upfront cost may be significant, systems like the EcoFlow PowerOcean (Single-Phase) make integrating storage into your current setup easier, whether or not you already have solar panels. With rising energy prices and growing grid instability, now’s the time to take control of your energy future and invest in a battery system that fits your home and energy needs.