How much do solar batteries cost?

Although most people install storage for the resilience benefit instead of the financial benefits, that doesn't mean storage costs are insignificant. Depending upon the size of your solar and storage installation, batteries can significantly increase the overall installation cost, sometimes even doubling the price of a solar panel installation. Considering whether or not to install energy storage, it's essential to consider the costs of batteries and the two primary factors that influence those costs.

A typical home battery will usually cost between $10,000 and $20,000, fully installed on EnergySage. Still, that number can vary widely based on several factors - read below for an outline of what influences home battery cost. As far as some of the more popular solar batteries available, here's what you can expect in terms of starting pricing (for models we don't have standalone pricing for, we've included estimated total costs, including installation):

A few key factors determine how much your energy storage system will cost: the equipment you install, the electrical work required for your installation, and even where you find your installer. 

The most significant factor in the cost of a battery installation is the equipment itself: what battery are you installing, and how many of them do you need; what chemistry does it use to store energy, and does it have its own inverter? While equipment costs typically account for 50-60% of the price of an energy storage system, the installation itself–i.e., the amount of electrical work required and where you find your installer–also plays a significant role in the overall cost of the system.

Factor 1: The quality of your batteries

Like solar costs, the first thing to consider with the batteries you're installing is the product quality you select. While all storage products on the market today meet rigorous safety testing requirements, there can still be variations in the overall quality of the energy storage systems. You're likely to pay more for higher-quality products.

Factor 2: The number of batteries you need

Each storage installation is unique, and everyone's storage needs are different. For most, storage system sizing is less flexible than solar panel systems. It's easy to add or subtract a single solar panel from a system design to fine-tune the installation's capacity; however, with most solutions on the market, it's challenging to tune the size of the battery you install. As a result, the storage cost will vary significantly depending on the kilowatt-hours of energy you need to store and, thus, the number of batteries you install.

Factor 3: The chemistry of your battery

There are a few different types of batteries available for home and business owners on the market today. However, the most common ones typically use some form of lithium-ion chemistry to store electricity. The two most common types of lithium-ion batteries are nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) and lithium iron phosphate (LFP). Each chemistry has different characteristics–NMC batteries tend to be more power dense while LFP batteries tend to last longer–which also means they come at different costs. On EnergySage, LFP batteries are often 30-50% more expensive than NMC batteries. 

Factor 4: Does your battery have its own inverter?

Batteries store direct current (DC) electricity. Still, your home or business uses alternating current (AC) electricity, so you'll need an inverter to convert the electricity stored in your battery to usable AC electricity. Some batteries come with their hybrid solar-plus-storage or storage-specific inverter. But if yours doesn't, you'll also need to purchase an inverter–or already have one–that can convert your stored energy into AC electricity, adding a cost to the overall system.

Factor 5: Retrofit vs. new solar and storage

Energy storage installations require significant electrical work and time from your installer. As a result, if you install storage concurrently with solar, you'll see some time efficiencies and cost savings by having all the electrical work done simultaneously and not requiring your installer to make additional trips.

Factor 6: Critical load panels

Most storage solutions today aren't large enough to cover every load in your home, meaning you'll have to pull specific circuits onto a critical load panel. A critical load panel is like a secondary electrical panel where you put all of your essential circuits that you want to remain energized in the event of an outage. While the critical load panel itself isn't costly, the electrical work required to install one can add up quickly.

Factor 7: Where you find your installer

There's no one-size-fits-all storage solution. With that in mind, it's essential to get multiple quotes to compare the same way you'd compare prices for other major purchases: solar, cars, home appliances, a new HVAC system, you name it. 

When you find your solar plus storage installer through EnergySage's online quote comparison platform, you'll pay less for solar and storage. Sign up for an account today to see how much EnergySage can save you!

EnergySage is the nation's online marketplace for solar and storage. When you sign up for a free account, we connect you with companies in your area who compete for your business with custom solar-plus-storage quotes tailored to your needs. Over 10 million people visit EnergySage annually to learn about, shop for, and invest in solar and home batteries. Sign up today to see how much you can save.