Solar panels without a battery

Start with solar-only

A solar-only system is simpler to model because the main variables are installed cost, annual generation, self-consumption and export tariff. It also keeps upfront cost lower.

For many households, that lower starting cost can make the payback cleaner. A battery can still be useful, but it should earn its place in the numbers.

What you lose without a battery

Without a battery, more surplus solar is likely to be exported. That means fewer kWh are valued at your import unit rate and more are valued at your export tariff.

That isn't automatically bad. Ofgem says SEG tariffs must be above zero, and some export tariffs can be strong enough that exporting a meaningful share of solar still makes sense.

When no battery is often sensible

Solar without a battery often suits households that use electricity during the day, have a strong export tariff, want a lower upfront cost or prefer a simpler system.

It can also be a sensible first step if you want to add storage later. Just ask your installer whether the inverter and layout are battery-ready before assuming an easy retrofit.

• You work from home or have daytime occupancy.
• You can run flexible appliances safely during daylight.
• Your export tariff is competitive.
• The battery quote is high compared with the extra annual benefit.

When to look harder at storage

A battery is more tempting when evening demand is high, import prices are much higher than export prices, or time-of-use tariffs make stored electricity more valuable.

Energy Saving Trust says battery storage costs vary widely, with a 5kWh system around £4,600. That is a real extra cost, so run the solar-only case first, then test the battery uplift separately.