The home battery is still in its infancy, but the gadget can be very handy. More and more companies are producing them, so what does this mean for the price?
A home battery is a tremendously nice gadget to provide extra energy to the whole house. Whether you use solar panels or the old-fashioned power grid. But it’s not easy to get started.
Because there are quite a few things you want to look out for when buying a home battery. And that mainly has to do with price and brand. That’s why we tell you all about it in this article.
How does a home battery work?
For those who have no idea what we are talking about, first an explanation. A home battery is a convenient storage system that can store electricity for later use in a household. The system is ideal if you have solar panels, but it can also store electricity that comes from the grid.
By using stored energy, you are less dependent on the power grid. This can not only lower your energy bill, but also provide a more stable power supply, especially during power outages.
(Image: ANP/Jeffrey Groeneweg)
In addition, a home battery helps you be smarter with your energy. For example, you can store power when prices are low, such as at night, and use it when prices are higher, during the day.
Using a home battery also helps reduce your carbon emissions. By storing energy you’ve generated with solar panels, for example, you can significantly reduce your carbon footprint.
The average price of battery
We’ll get right to the point. A good home battery is a hefty investment. This has to do with the fact that most home batteries are lithium-ion batteries. These are exactly the batteries that also make an electric car so expensive.
The price of a home battery depends on how much capacity you need in your home. Smaller home batteries are more expensive per kilowatt-hour than larger batteries. So the cost really depends on how big a home battery you choose. We’ve listed the average price for each household for you below. The rates include installation and installation materials.
HouseholdRequired capacity Average home battery cost1-2 people6 kWh+/- €4,0003-4 people8 kWh+/- €8,0005-6 people10 kWh+/- €10,000Source: Home Battery Netherlands
Note: Don’t just consider the price of the home battery. For example, a more expensive model may offer more charging cycles than a cheaper alternative. As a result, you may therefore be more expensive in the long run with a cheaper option.
The best brands in a row
Finding a home battery can be quite difficult, because it has to fit well with the energy system that already exists in your home. That’s why choosing a good brand is hugely important. So be well informed by an expert before making your choice.
There are an increasing number of brands offering home batteries these days. But a few stand out head and shoulders above the rest. We take a quick look at the most important ones.
First of all, LG. The manufacturer offers batteries with different storage capacities, from 3 kWh to 9.3 kWh. LG’s batteries are fully automatic and require little maintenance. Mind you, they don’t have a built-in hybrid inverter, so you have to buy that separately.
LG’s hefty batteries (Image: Green House Solutions)
Tesla Powerwall is another good brand to consider. Tesla needs no introduction by now. But the fact that the giant also offers home batteries is somewhat less well known. The batteries can power an average family for half a day. These batteries do cost a bit more, but come with installation included.
Then we have Ikea’s home battery. The Swedish chain supplies batteries in partnership with SVEA Solar, a Stockholm-based company. The models again vary by kWh, ranging from home battery 5kw to 10 kWh, but can be expanded up to 30 kWh.
We can’t say it often enough. Finding a good home battery on your own is tough. Enlist the help of someone who knows about it. At least then you’ll be sure you’re making a good choice.
