{"id":17964,"date":"2022-10-06T14:30:00","date_gmt":"2022-10-06T04:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/?p=17964"},"modified":"2024-10-21T10:31:54","modified_gmt":"2024-10-21T00:31:54","slug":"guide-to-buying-solar-battery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/guide-to-buying-solar-battery\/","title":{"rendered":"What to look for when buying a solar&nbsp;battery"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"is-style-lead\">Solar batteries are a long-term investment, so it\u2019s important to be sure the one you pick is right for your home\u2019s needs. We\u2019ve pulled together some expert tips, so you know what to look for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re thinking of putting a battery on your home, there are several factors that will determine the best solution for your needs. Mark Kerr,&nbsp;Origin\u2019s Group Manager of Large-Scale Solar and Operations, gives us the low-down.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can I have a battery if my house has existing <br>solar?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Absolutely! You can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/solar\/batteries\/\">add a battery<\/a> to an existing solar system. A home with existing solar will be equipped with an inverter. The role of an inverter is to take the solar electricity and invert (or convert) it into the type of electricity your house needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe choices are to take the existing inverter off and install a hybrid inverter, or to stay with the inverter you\u2019ve already got and add a battery inverter\u201d says Kerr. \u201cThe second option is what people normally choose, for good reason. Approvals can be simpler, and it\u2019s also often less expensive to keep the existing inverter and purchase a battery with a battery inverter.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Solar Battery Buying Guide\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/h8qepwgZ1io?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><center>Our Battery Buying Guide can help you make an informed decision<\/center><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What if my house doesn&#8217;t have solar?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you don\u2019t have solar already, go straight to a hybrid inverter. That way you\u2019ll have just one inverter box on the wall, rather than two, Kerr says. \u201cHybrid inverters can be directly connected to a battery, managing inputs from both solar panels and the battery,\u201d he explains. \u201cThey can charge batteries with power from the sun or from the electricity grid.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How much back-up do you need?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Another consideration is whether you should back-up your house. During a blackout, do you want the ability to power your entire house with a full back-up, or do you want partial back-up \u2013 perhaps just the kitchen circuit including the fridge, some lights, and a few power points?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIf you\u2019ve got a pool pump, you probably don\u2019t want your battery to keep it running during a blackout, so partial back-up is often a good option\u201d Kerr says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many choose to go with no back-up at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe default, or the no back-up arrangement, allows you to get the maximum value out of the solar electricity you\u2019ve generated, but it\u2019s connected to the grid directly,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIf the grid goes down, the systems must be safe, so the battery will stop powering the house if there isn\u2019t any back-up. But, for a little extra cost, you can do a partial or full back-up.\u201d<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/omny.fm\/shows\/sowatt\/all-charged-up\/embed\" width=\"100%\" height=\"180\" frameborder=\"0\" title=\"All Charged Up\"><\/iframe> <figcaption><center><p>On episode five of our So Watt? podcast, we delve into what you should look for when buying a battery for your home.<\/figcaption><\/center><\/p><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What battery suits you best?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Kerr says buyers should look at how much electricity they use, and how much excess electricity their solar system generates. That way, you can be sure you\u2019re matching the battery to your energy environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If the battery is too large, the solar system will rarely be able to charge it fully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If it\u2019s too small, the return on your investment will be reduced as you\u2019ll be sending much of the power you\u2019ve generated back to the grid. It\u2019s important, therefore, to ensure your battery is the right size for your system and situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What are the leading brands?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Origin&#8217;s most popular brand is LG Storage, Kerr says. &#8220;They make fantastic batteries and have for a long time. They&#8217;re one of the biggest battery manufacturers in the world. People like their batteries because they&#8217;re a recognisable and trusted brand, and their batteries come in a range of sizes to suit each customer&#8217;s situation&#8221; he explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kerr says Tesla Powerwalls are versatile and can be used on homes with or without existing solar. Powerwalls come with their own battery inverter, so using a lower cost hybrid inverter isn\u2019t an option with Tesla.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are numerous options from many major electronics companies including Samsung, Sony and Panasonic and well-known battery manufacturers &#8211; such as BYD. That\u2019s why a certain amount of research is vital before making your home battery-smart.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What does the future look like?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Until recently, all the electricity you used in your home or business came from large power stations&nbsp;transported through power lines and distribution networks.&nbsp;With more Australians generating their own electricity with rooftop solar and storing it in batteries, what if we could connect thousands (or even millions) of&nbsp;batteries and&nbsp;assets across countless locations and combine them into one big power station?&nbsp;Enter, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/virtual-power-plant\/\">Virtual Power Plants<\/a> (VPPs). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Loop is\u00a0the name we&#8217;ve given to\u00a0our Virtual Power Plant, allowing customers to be part of a smart, connected energy network,\u00a0contribute to a cleaner energy future\u00a0and be rewarded for it.\u00a0And now,\u00a0we\u2019re\u00a0inviting\u00a0more\u00a0customers across\u00a0Australia to\u00a0join\u00a0our\u00a0rapidly\u202fgrowing\u202fnetwork! <a href=\"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/solar\/batteries.html\">Find out how Origin Loop<\/a> can help you maximise the benefits of your home battery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ready to take the next step?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:29px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-horizontal is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-1 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/electrify\/quote\">Request a solar battery quote<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Solar batteries are an investment, so it\u2019s important to make sure you pick the right one for your home. Read on for our top tips on what to look&nbsp;for.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":18059,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[108],"tags":[49,29],"oe_author":[],"class_list":["post-17964","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-future-energy","tag-solar","tag-solar-batteries"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17964","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/38"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17964"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17964\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18059"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17964"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17964"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17964"},{"taxonomy":"oe_author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/oe_author?post=17964"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}