Whilst they are often considered to be an exclusive add-on for solar panels, battery storage systems are a fantastic way reduce the cost of your energy bills as a standalone option too. Taking advantage of low cost overnight electricity tariffs, you can save up to a whopping 40% on your electricity bills depending on your usage and the capacity of the batteries you have installed.
MAC Renewables provide installations of solar panels with or without battery storage and can also provide standalone battery storage installations too, providing an energy saving solution adapted directly to your specific needs. You can discover more about solar battery storage or standalone battery storage for homes throughout this article, with useful information about the benefits, costs and longevity of these systems.
What Is Home Battery Storage?
As they are often mentioned as part of a package for solar panel systems, it might not always be entirely clear how a battery storage system can be standalone without having solar panels to charge them. Home battery storage is primarily designed to store electricity, whatever the source of that energy might be. Whilst they can store energy generated from solar panels, they can also import power directly from the grid and when doing so at off peak times the electricity is significantly cheaper. Just like with a full array of solar panels, battery storage can also vary in size and capacity but are best directly scaled to match your individual energy use.
Do You Need Solar Panels to Benefit from Battery Storage?
Whilst it can be easy to assume battery storage is simply an add-on for solar panel systems, these batteries can operate very effectively as a standalone system too. When combined with solar panels, batteries can be charged with excess renewable electricity during the day, ready for use after nightfall. Although without a battery, any surplus energy your solar panels produce is automatically exported back to the grid and while you may receive a small credit for this, the financial return is typically much lower than the savings you’d make by using that electricity yourself.
But you don’t need solar panels to take advantage of battery storage. When used in combination with smart tariffs and off-peak charging, battery storage gives you access to significantly cheaper electricity when you would otherwise be paying higher peak-time rates. Once you’re on a tariff that offers lower overnight rates your battery can charge when prices are low and discharge during the day when rates increase.
Did you know?
Depending on your energy usage, home battery storage systems in the UK usually last around 10 to 15 years.
The 3 Key Benefits of Battery Storage Without Solar
Home battery storage offers an effective energy-saving solution at a significantly lower cost than having a full solar panel installation and are an especially useful having to make such a large investment and are not hindered by how suitable your roof is for solar panels either. By opting for a standalone battery storage system, there are three key benefits that include;
Reduced Electricity with Smart Tariffs
One of the biggest benefits of battery storage even with solar panels is the ability to take advantage of smart tariffs. By charging your battery during off-peak hours (when electricity is cheapest) can use that stored energy later during peak-rate periods, completely avoiding higher electricity rates. Flexible tariffs are ideal for this kind of usage as they have some of the lowest pricing around and can make a substantial difference very quickly, reducing an average of 30p/kWh to 7p/kWh from simply using the stored energy your battery gathered overnight.
Protection from Power Outages or Sudden Energy Price Changes
Many solar batteries also offer backup capability, reducing the impact of power cuts which is especially useful in rural areas or during more severe weather. Using off-peak electricity also reduces the impact from sudden price increases on grid electricity, keeping your monthly energy bills significantly more stable.
Unaffected by roof suitability (unlike solar panels)
Unlike battery storage, solar panels may not always be suitable for every home. This can be for a number of reasons including roof orientation, heavy shading or limited roof strength. In all these cases, the solar panels will either not generate enough energy or will lack structural stability.
Adding Solar Panels to Existing Home Battery Storage
One of the smartest things about installing a battery system is the flexibility it can offer, not just in what you can save but how you can continue to enhance your installation. Many of the most popular battery systems on the market, such as GivEnergy, Solax or Growatt are fully modular and built to be solar-compatible, making them a future-proof should you decide to add solar panels to your installation at a later date.
A compatible battery system can absolutely be integrated with a solar array at a later date, giving you access to free renewable energy as well as the option to continue using cheaper off peak electricity too.
Did you know?
A battery storage system can hold onto around 80% of the extra energy your solar panels produce. So instead of losing it back to the grid, you can use that energy storage whenever you need it, even after the sun’s gone down.
Is Battery Storage Suitable for Every Home?
As a general rule, battery storage can be installed in the majority of homes, even without solar panels. You don’t need to have solar already in place and you don’t need to be using large amounts
of electricity to start seeing a reduction in your energy bills. Whilst higher-usage homes may see a larger saving, even average households can benefit simply by adjusting their energy use to match smart tariff cycles to make the most of their batteries.
Solar panels can also be added after your battery storage has been installed, as long as the battery and inverter are compatible with the solar system you plan to install. That makes battery storage a flexible option whether you’re going all-in on solar now or taking a more gradual approach.
It’s also more affordable than many people expect. Battery storage prices have dropped significantly in recent years and with a range of system sizes, finance options, and the ability to expand later, it can be a really accessible upgrade. With MAC Renewables, pricing starts from as low as £3,998.
That said, battery storage isn’t ideal for every property. If you have very low energy use, limited installation space or no access to smart tariffs, the savings you can make will be more modest. Some homes may need a consumer unit upgrade or structural adjustments before having a battery storage installation, although you will always be advised of this by a MAC Renewables team member during your site survey at the quotation stage.
What Does Battery Storage Cost in 2025?
Much like any other household installation, pricing for battery storage installations can vary based on your individual needs. Your energy use will need to be taken in to consideration and whether you would like to have solar panels alongside your battery storage as well. As a rough guide, you can factor in whether you’d like solar and battery storage as a package or just the battery storage alone, which will have the pricing fall into two categories;
Battery Storage Installations
For example, a 3.68kw Solax battery storage system will include;
- 1x SolaX X1-FIT G4 3.68W (AC Coupled Inverter)
- 1x SolaX Triple Power 5.8kWh Battery – TP58
- Battery Storage Installations (including Solar Panels)
- Prices start from £3998 (VAT Free)
For example, a 3.6kw Growatt solar and battery storage system will include;
Is Battery Storage Worth It Without Solar?
If you’re looking to reduce your electricity bills and protect yourself from future price hikes, battery storage can be an excellent solution, even if you aren’t ready to have solar panels installed you can still make a saving. Matched to your specific needs, battery storage can start paying for itself surprisingly quickly and requires a significantly smaller investment than a full solar panel system.
Whether you already have solar panels, are planning to add them later or would just like a quote for standalone battery storage MAC Renewables is here to help you make the right choice.
Ready to explore battery storage for your home?
Contact our team to book a free survey and we’ll walk you through the best options based on your property and energy goals.
Email: info@macrenewables.co.uk
Call us: 0121 730 4800
