10kW Solar Storage Battery: Prices, Sizing, What They Power

Below we’ll cover everything you need to know about 10kW solar storage batteries including: 

• Standalone cost
• The cost of a solar panel system with a 10kW battery
• Electricity bill savings
• How many solar panels you need to keep your 10kW storage battery topped up
• The best storage battery brands
• Are solar storage batteries worth it?

Already convinced you need a solar storage battery? 

Jump over to our solar panel system quotation tool here. There, you’ll be able to get quotes on a custom system that includes a small, medium (10kW) or large solar storage battery.

How Much Does a 10kW Solar Storage Battery Cost?

A 10kW battery is likely to add somewhere in the region of £4,000-£10,000 onto the overall cost of your solar panel installation. 

Below, we’ll explain battery costs in detail.

‍Storage Battery Only

Alongside our solar panel systems, we offer 3 options when it comes to solar storage batteries: 

• Small (5.3kW)
• Medium (10.6kW)
• Large (15.9kW)

You want to make sure you’re not buying a battery that’s too small or too big. 

Using a solar storage battery that is too small is going to lead to you relying heavily on the grid for your electricity (which you’ll have to pay for). It’s also going to mean that you go through a full battery cycle often, reducing the lifespan of your unit. 

On the flip-side, buying a solar storage battery that’s too big is going to mean unnecessary expense, as you won’t use the full capacity of your battery. The bigger the battery, the more expensive it is. 

Prices vary from installer to installer, with a 10.6kW battery adding anywhere from £4,000-£10,000 to your overall installation cost. 

Our 10.6kW solar storage battery upgrade is competitively priced, adding just £3,745 onto the installation price. 

If you think you can get away with a smaller 5.3kW storage battery, the additional cost is just £2,495. 

Don’t think a 5kW or 10kW battery provides you with enough storage? A 15.9kW storage battery can be coupled with our solar panel systems for just £4,995.

Get solar quotes on-screen using our quick and clickable tool. Alternatively, speak to one of our solar experts here if you have any questions.

Solar Panel System With A 10kW Battery

So, we know a 10kW solar storage battery will cost £3,745, but how much does this battery cost as part of a complete system?

A solar panel system with a 10kW storage battery from Dwellow starts at £9,638.

As standard, our package includes:

• 12 solar panels, with a max output of 5.16kW, produced by a leading manufacturer (LONGi)
• 25 year performance warranty
• Free home survey
• Potential to power up to 70% of your electricity needs
• Hybrid inverter
• Bird guard
• Application to your electricity supplier so you qualify for SEG (you'll be able to sell excess energy back to the grid and earn a small income)

For those that are looking for additional upgrades, we can also bolt-on optimisers if you expect any of your panels to be shaded. These include: 

• DC panel optimisers 
• Panel level micro inverters

Use our solar panel quotation tool here. There you’ll be able to flick between different battery options as well as standard, optimised and optimised+ packages to see how overall installation cost varies.

How Much Will A Solar Storage Battery Save Me On Electricity Bills?

Whether you decide to purchase a solar storage battery or use a stand alone system, you’re going to save a chunk on your electricity bills. 

A medium-high consumption household is likely to use anywhere from 2,700 - 4,100kWh of electricity per annum, according to energy markets regulator OfGem.

With a well located south-facing roof with minimal shading, a 5.16kW (12 panel) system coupled with a solar storage battery, could save you somewhere in the region of £560 – £850, based on the current average UK electricity price of 26p per kWh.

This would mean that a system costing £9,638 (including a 10.3kW storage battery) would see a payback period of approximately 11 - 17 years depending on your usage, export payments and future energy prices.

As you can see from this Dwellow estimates example above, approximately £188 of the savings you’ll see on your electricity bill comes from “Export”. This refers to the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG).

Dwellow can apply for the SEG on your behalf, via your electricity provider. When your system produces excess electricity that can’t be used instantly or can’t be stored in your battery (because it’s full), this energy will be sent back to the grid and you’ll earn a small income. 

You can read a detailed guide which explains the Smart Export Guarantee here. 

Does a 10kW Solar Battery Provide Enough Capacity For A House?

Using a 12 panel 5.16kWh system coupled with a 10kW storage battery is likely to cover the majority of electricity needs. This assumes a medium-high consumption household (up to 4,500kWh per annum).

Obviously there are various factors to consider. Appliances that produce heating or cooling (hot tubs and air conditioning for instance), can drain multiple kW per hour and therefore, could drain a 10kW battery within a couple of hours. 

However, for the average property not using these high consumption appliances, a 10kW battery is usually enough to get you through the night (when solar panels aren't producing electricity). 

For those households struggling to make do with a 10kW storage battery, it's worth testing load shifting. This involves flicking high consumption appliances into eco-mode or off during the evenings, and switching them back on during the day time when solar panels start producing electricity again. 

One other thing you’ll need to consider when choosing a battery is Depth of Discharge (DoD). Even high quality storage batteries tend to have a DoD of around 80%. 

Essentially, this is the usable electricity on offer. Once it gets down to 20%, you’ll need to charge the battery via solar panels to ensure the battery isn’t damaged. 

Still unsure if a 10kW battery is big enough for your household?

Read our detailed guide that covers what size solar storage battery you need here.  Or, speak to our solar panel experts here, they'll be able to answer any questions you might have. 

How Many Solar Panels Do I Need To Charge a 10kW Battery?

Solar panels don't work at 100% of maximum output. Output will vary depending on roof tilt and orientation (with 30 degrees and facing due south being the best setup) as well as any shading your panels might get during the day. 

A typical 500w-600w panel will only produce somewhere in the region of 1-2kWh of electricity per day. We find the best setup for the average household is a 12 panel 5.16kWh solar panel system. This provides enough electricity to run basic household appliances, as well as enough output to keep a 10kW storage battery topped up during the day. 

Once it's dark, your solar panels won't be producing any electricity. At this point you'll become 100% reliant on the charge you have in your battery. 

Our most popular solar panel system that utilises a 10kW battery is a 12-panel 5.16kWh setup. You can get quotes for a solar panel system including a 10kW battery using our clickable tool here. 

Alternatively, speak to one of our solar experts here if you're not sure which setup is most suited to your property.

The Best Brands Offering 10kW Solar Panel Batteries

There are dozens of storage battery brands in the UK offering units anywhere from 5kW-30kW and for commercial properties, larger batteries are available from these brands. 

Top solar storage brands will use lithium-ion rather than lead-acid. Compared to budget brands you can expect them to be: 

• Extremely efficient (up to 90% in some cases)
• Incredibly durable (a lifespan of 6,000 cycles or more, as well as a 10-15 year warranty)
• High Depth of Discharge, meaning you have more usable capacity
• Compact and easy to install (helping to keep costs down)

As long as you install a 10kW unit from one of the best solar solar storage battery brands mentioned below, you won't go far wrong. Top brands include: 

• AlphaESS
• Enphase
• Sunsynk

We’ve got a detailed guide to the best solar battery brands here. 

Is A 10kW Solar Storage Battery Worth It?

Investing in a solar storage battery is a huge expense. But, to make the most out of your solar panel system, it’s definitely worth it.

Small 5kW units start as low as £2,495. However, these typically don’t provide enough capacity for the average home. On the flip-side a 15kW or larger unit is generally overkill; you’re paying for capacity that you’re unlikely to use. 

The middle ground for the majority of properties to get the best value for money is a 10kW storage battery, which adds on £3,745 to the overall cost of your installation. 

Read our detailed guide to whether solar panel batteries are worth it here. 

Or, get a complete solar panel system using a 10kW storage battery by using our solar panel quotation tool here.