Battery only, no solar needed: home batteries without solar panels (UK)
Yes, a home battery works without solar panels. It charges from the grid when electricity is cheap, usually overnight, and runs your home when it's expensive. Living in a flat, or having a shaded roof or a listed building, doesn't stop you.
Free savings calculatorLive tariff prices for your postcode, saving and monthly finance for every battery.Calculate →Battery only vs solar calculatorSee why a battery alone can give a better return than adding panels.Compare →How a battery-only system saves money
On a time-of-use tariff, overnight electricity costs much less than the daytime rate. The battery fills up at the cheap rate and powers your home through the day and evening, so you buy less electricity at the expensive rate.
Some tariffs also pay you for electricity you send back to the grid at peak times, which a battery can do even without solar.
Who it suits best
Homes that use a lot of electricity in the evening, homes with an electric car or heat pump, and anyone on (or willing to switch to) a cheap overnight tariff.
The bigger the gap between your cheap and peak rates, and the more of your usage you can shift, the more you save.
What you need
A smart meter, a time-of-use tariff, and a battery with an inverter that can charge from the grid. Every system we sell can do this, fully installed by an MCS-certified engineer.
What it costs
Our battery-only systems start from £3,659 fully installed, with 0% VAT and £0 deposit finance available, subject to status. The price you see is the price you pay.
Work out your own savings
Savings depend on your usage and tariff. Our free savings calculator uses live tariff prices for your postcode and shows the estimated yearly saving for every battery, with or without solar.
Wondering whether to add solar too? Our battery only vs solar calculator shows why, once you have a battery on a cheap tariff, solar is worth less than most quotes suggest.
Adding solar later
Hybrid systems such as Fox ESS and EP Cube have solar inputs built in, so you can add panels later without replacing the inverter.
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