What is a home battery?
A home battery is a battery in or next to the house that stores electricity, usually power from solar panels that is not used straight away during the day, so that you can use it yourself later. An inverter converts the battery’s direct current into alternating current for the household supply. Most home batteries use lithium iron phosphate (LFP), a chemistry known for being relatively safe and long-lasting.
Why a home battery?
- More self-consumption: power generated in the afternoon is used in the evening.
- Lower export payments: where the payment for electricity fed back to the grid is low or being reduced (in the Netherlands, for example, net metering ends on 1 January 2027), storing it yourself can become more attractive.
- Dynamic energy tariff: charge when electricity is cheap and discharge when it is expensive.
- Backup power: only if the installation is explicitly designed for it. An ordinary home battery usually switches off during a power cut as well.
Choosing capacity
Capacity is given in kWh. Rule of thumb: choose a capacity that matches what you use in the evening and at night and what you have left over during the day. A battery that is too large will hardly fill up in winter and pays back more slowly.
Costs
Including installation, a home battery costs roughly EUR 3,000-10,000, and more for large capacities, depending on capacity, brand and whether a new inverter or changes to the consumer unit are needed. A home battery does not always pay for itself. That depends heavily on your usage pattern, your energy contract and any feed-in charges. Have an installer calculate it using your own meter data, and work with the expected lifespan rather than a promise.
Points to watch
- Location: dry, frost-free, not in an escape route and with enough ventilation. Follow the manufacturer’s installation requirements.
- Installation: have it connected by a qualified electrician and check that the meter cupboard and distribution board are suitable.
- Insurance: inform your home insurer about the battery.
- Warranty: check the number of guaranteed charge cycles and the remaining capacity after the warranty period.
Related terms
- Grid congestion
- Meter cupboard
- Residual current device
- Solar thermal roof
Want to learn more about construction terms? Visit our knowledge base at fredsdiyplans.com.