More and more homeowners in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland are interested in energy storage systems – battery systems that store solar power for later use. No wonder: electricity prices are high, and the desire for energy independence is growing. A photovoltaic storage system makes it possible to take excess solar power from the day into the evening and night, instead of having to feed it into the grid. In this info guide, we answer the most important questions about solar power storage – from costs and economic viability to correct sizing and practical tips for installation. We also shed light on topics not yet covered on the NYLYN Solar product page, such as energy storage systems for balcony power plants or optimal installation locations.
Read on to get well-founded information and practical advice – and let yourself be convinced by the advantages of an energy storage system. At the end, you will also learn how you can find the right storage solution for your home with NYLYN Solar and start your personal energy transition!
What Does An Energy Storage System Bring? More Independence And Self-Consumption
The main benefit of a PV energy storage system is to use the self-generated solar power more effectively. Without storage, typical households can only directly consume about 25–30% of their solar power – with a battery storage system, this share can be increased to up to 70%. This means: you buy much less electricity from the utility and significantly increase your degree of self-sufficiency. Especially in times of rising electricity prices, it pays to consume as much of your own solar power as possible.
An energy storage system stores excess solar power from your PV system during the day and releases it again in the evening or at night when you turn on lights, cook, or watch TV. This way, you reduce feeding into the grid and use your green electricity yourself. The advantages at a glance:
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Greater Independence: You become more independent of energy suppliers and price fluctuations, as you can use more of your own electricity.
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Better Utilization of the PV System: Every kWh from storage replaces an expensive kWh of grid electricity. This is economically attractive, because solar power from your own roof often costs only 10–15 Cents per kWh, while grid electricity is 2–3 times as expensive.
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Contribution to the Energy Transition: Through storage, solar systems need to curtail or feed in less frequently – you relieve the grid and contribute to using renewable energy more efficiently.
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Optional Emergency Power: Some storage systems offer emergency power or backup functions, meaning they can continue to supply certain devices with energy during a power outage. This can increase your supply security, for example, for the refrigerator or heating pump – but make sure that the chosen storage system explicitly supports this function (not all systems can supply power during a grid failure).
In short: an energy storage system gets more out of your PV system and offers a good feeling of control over your own energy household. Charge up with sun during the day, draw from it in the evening – this principle convinces more and more homeowners.
Is An Energy Storage System Financially Worthwhile? (And Why Some Are Skeptical)
The question of all questions: Is the investment in a home storage system worthwhile at all? For a long time, storage was considered "nice to have," but economically borderline. However, the situation has changed. In recent years, battery storage systems have become more efficient and cheaper, while electricity prices have risen sharply at the same time. This noticeably improves economic viability. The more expensive the grid electricity and the cheaper the storage systems, the faster a PV storage system amortizes.
However, profitability depends on several factors, e.g., your system size, electricity consumption, and future electricity price developments. Some calculations from previous years were too pessimistic or too optimistic: It was often assumed that a storage system would last as long as the PV modules (20+ years), although a realistic lifespan of 10–15 years is more to be expected. Also, the assumed annual electricity price increases of 5% and more were sometimes exaggerated.
Nevertheless, it shows: In many cases, an energy storage system can be worthwhile today, especially if one expects continuously rising energy costs in the long term
