How much does a solar panel and battery system cost?

For many homeowners, installing solar panels is the first step towards lowering energy bills and becoming less reliant on the grid. But there’s one question we often hear:

“Why am I still buying electricity in the evening?”

From an engineering perspective, the answer is simple - timing.

Most solar systems generate the majority of their energy during the middle of the day, exactly when many people are out at work.

That means:

• Your home isn’t using much of the energy being generated 
• Excess electricity is exported back to the grid (often at a lower value) 
• You then buy electricity back in the evening when prices are higher 

Without a battery, you’re not fully benefiting from the energy you produce.

A battery changes this completely.

Instead of exporting unused solar energy, you can store it during the day and use it in the evening, when your home needs it most.

This is when energy use typically peaks:

• Cooking dinner 
• Lighting and heating 
• TVs, devices, and general usage 

The battery improves your self-consumption, the percentage of solar energy you actually use yourself.

Electric Vehicle Charging

If you have (or are planning to get) an electric vehicle, a battery becomes even more valuable.

Most EV charging happens:

• In the evening or overnight 
• When solar panels are no longer generating 

With a battery, you can:

• Use stored solar energy to charge your car 
• Reduce reliance on grid electricity 
• Lower the cost per mile significantly

Modern energy tariffs now offer cheaper electricity at off-peak times, typically overnight.

With a battery system, you’re not limited to solar alone. You can also:

• Charge your battery at lower rates 
• Use that stored energy during the day or evening 
• Avoid peak-time electricity costs 

This gives you far more control over how and when you buy energy, something that simply isn’t possible with solar panels alone.