A battery lets you store the solar electricity your panels generate during the day and use it in the evening, at night, or during a power cut — instead of exporting it to the grid for a modest payment and buying it back later at a higher price. For East Lothian homeowners with solar, a battery is usually the single biggest upgrade to self-consumption.
Why add a battery in East Lothian?
At about 56°N on the south shore of the Firth of Forth, East Lothian has a seasonal solar year with long summer days. Open coastal and farmland exposure means little shading, though coastal sites need wind- and salt-rated fixings. That long summer solar window means plenty of surplus generation — but most households use more electricity in the evening than during the day. A battery closes that gap, storing daytime surplus so it is ready when you actually need it.
For homes on time-of-use tariffs, a battery can also store cheap off-peak electricity overnight and discharge it during the day, reducing peak-rate draw from the grid.
Add a battery to existing solar
If you already have solar panels on your East Lothian home, a battery can usually be retrofitted. The process typically involves:
- A compatibility check on your existing inverter and panel array.
- Adding an AC-coupled battery, or upgrading to a hybrid inverter with a DC-coupled battery.
- Installing the battery unit in a garage, utility room or other suitable location.
- Configuring smart controls so surplus solar charges the battery first.
If your existing inverter is not battery-ready, we can swap it for a hybrid model — a common and straightforward upgrade on most East Lothian installs.
Battery with new solar
Going straight to a solar and battery package from the start is often the most cost-effective route, because you install a single hybrid inverter and avoid a later inverter swap. It also means every watt of surplus solar is stored from day one.
What size battery do I need?
Battery sizing depends on your annual electricity use, your solar array size and how much you want to cover evening and overnight demand. Typical home batteries range from around 5 kWh to 15 kWh usable capacity. Our MCS-certified partners size the battery to your actual usage pattern as part of your quote.
Want to store more of your solar? Use the quote form on this page or call 0141 230 0198 and we will call you back.
Last updated: 20 October 2026