Curious how your home can store its own energy and use it when you need it most? That’s exactly what a home battery does. Think of it as a smart energy vault: it captures electricity—either from solar panels or the grid—and keeps it ready for later. This gives you more control over your energy, helps lower bills, and keeps essential appliances running, even when the sun goes down or the grid falters.
Here’s how it works in everyday life: your solar panels generate electricity during the day. Your home uses what it needs, and the battery quietly stores the rest. When evening comes, the battery releases that stored energy to keep your lights on, your heating running, and your home humming along—without you needing to think twice.
Whether paired with solar panels or standing alone, a battery puts you in the driver’s seat, giving your home resilience, flexibility, and the power to make the most of clean energy.
If you have solar panels, a solar-plus-storage system gives you even more control. Here’s how it all fits together:
Solar PV panels – Capture sunlight and turn it into electricity.
Inverter – Converts DC electricity from your panels into AC to power your home.
Battery bank – Stores extra electricity for later use.
Control electronics – Manage how power flows between your panels, battery, and home.
How it works in everyday life:
Sunny day: Your solar panels produce electricity. Your home uses what it needs, and the battery stores the surplus.
Evening or cloudy day: The battery releases stored electricity to keep your home running. The grid acts as a backup if the battery runs out.
This cycle helps your home run more on clean, solar energy and less on grid power.
Most home batteries use lithium-ion technology—the same tech as in smartphones, but much larger. Each battery cell has:
Anode & Cathode – Where lithium ions move during charging and discharging.
Electrolyte – A medium that lets ions flow between anode and cathode.
Separator – Keeps the anode and cathode apart safely.
Current Collectors – Connect the battery to your home’s electricity.
How it works:
Charging: Lithium ions move to the anode, storing energy as chemical potential.
Discharging: Ions move back to the cathode, and electricity powers your home.
Installed by a certified professional, this process is safe, efficient, and gives you control over when and how your solar energy is used.
When you add a battery to your solar system, you’ll hear about DC-coupled and AC-coupled setups. Both store solar energy, but work a little differently:
DC-Coupled: Battery connects on the DC side of your solar array. A single inverter powers your home and/or the grid.
AC-Coupled: Solar panels have their own inverter. A separate battery inverter manages the battery. The battery can charge from solar or the grid and discharges into your home’s AC circuits.
Both work well in UK homes. The best option depends on your home, energy needs, and future plans.
One of the biggest advantages of a home battery is backup power. If the grid goes down:
Many systems automatically isolate essential circuits.
Your battery and solar panels keep key appliances running.
When power returns, the inverter reconnects and recharges the battery.
UK authorities encourage combining solar and battery storage to reduce reliance on the grid, especially in retrofit programs. This setup gives peace of mind and maximises your solar investment.
Even without solar panels, a standalone battery can save money and increase independence. Here’s how:
Charging from the grid: Draws electricity during off-peak hours or when tariffs drop.
Safe storage: Energy is stored in a secure lithium-ion setup.
Discharging to your home: Powers lights, appliances, and heating, reducing grid usage.
Most standalone systems include a smart controller or app, letting you schedule charging, monitor usage, and prioritise appliances.
Switch Together makes installing solar and battery storage simple and stress-free:
Offer: We recommend the right system size and connect you to a trusted installer.
Assessment: Installer reviews your home, roof, and energy use.
Installation: Certified installers fit the battery safely.
Start your home’s greener journey today. Join thousands of households already switching together and take control of your energy, bills, and impact on the planet.