Free panels and solar batteries

JHoney

We've got free panels through 'A Shade Greener' and now that solar batteries are coming down in price, we were wondering if we can install one? In theory, we get first call on any electricity we generate and there's nothing in the contract to preclude us storing it because that tech wasn't out there when the contract was signed. However, I can't find a test case in law about this and wouldn't want to find myself the first guinea pig. Any thoughts? I've googled about but can't find any discussion on this.

Exiled_Tyke

In theory I wouldn’t have thought it should make a difference as they will still get the FIT payments as they are based on generation not export. However you are contecting your own equipment to theirs which they may have an issue with. Does the contract talk about meddling with their inverter etc in any way?

Far far more important though is the fact that batteries (contrary to what installers will tell you) are still not financially viable. I.e taking into account all the factors, the cost of storing and later using one unit of electricity is still more expensive than buying it from the grid.

Ectophile

From a FIT payments point-of-view, there's nothing to stop you having a battery. If it's connected to the inverter, then the "generation" is when the battery stored energy is exported to the rest of the house, not when the panels generated it.


Unless the inverter was designed to talk to a battery, there's probably no easy way to add one, without buying a completely separate unit with battery, charger and inverter.