Can I Have Home Battery Storage Without Solar Panels?

◆How Standalone Battery Storage Works

You don't need to generate your own power to save money—you just need to buy it smartly. This concept is called "Grid Trading" or load shifting.

The electricity grid has variable pricing. At night, when demand is low, energy is cheap. In the evening (4pm–7pm), when everyone is cooking and watching TV, energy is expensive. A standalone battery exploits this difference:

1. Charge Cheap: Your battery charges from the grid overnight on a "Time of Use" tariff (like Octopus Go or Agile).
2. Discharge Peak: During the day, your home runs off the battery instead of the expensive grid power.
3. Save Money: You effectively pay night-time rates for your day-time usage.

◆The Financial Case: Buying Low, Using High

Let's look at the numbers. Standard electricity rates are currently hovering around 24p/kWh (price cap).

With a smart tariff, overnight rates can drop to 7p/kWh or less.

• If you use 10kWh of electricity a day at standard rates, it costs you £2.40.
• If you load-shift that usage through a battery charged at 7p, it costs you £0.70.

That is a daily saving of £1.70, or over £600 per year—without a single solar panel on your roof.

◆Added Benefit: Backup Power Resilience

Beyond savings, a home battery provides security. In the event of a power cut, many of the systems we install (like the Fox ESS All-in-One or SolarEdge Home Battery) can automatically switch to backup mode, keeping your lights, internet, and fridge running.

◆Now VAT Free (0% VAT)

Great news for 2025: The UK government has extended the 0% VAT relief to standalone battery storage systems. Previously, you only got the tax break if you installed solar at the same time. Now, you can install a battery system on its own and still pay zero VAT, instantly saving you 20% on the installation cost.