Solar Battery Calculator

Not necessarily. If your utility offers net metering (most do), the grid acts as your battery: excess solar power is exported for credits that offset nighttime usage. Batteries make sense if you want backup power during outages, your utility has time-of-use rates (charge during off-peak, use during peak), or net metering credits are unfavorable in your area. Batteries add $10,000-$15,000 to system cost.