# Solar Battery Storage Derby | New or Added to Panels > Solar battery storage in Derby: batteries fitted with new panels or added to an existing system, sized from your meter readings, with 0% VAT until March 2027. URL: https://ecosolarpanelsderby.co.uk/solar-battery-storage/ 1. [Home](https://ecosolarpanelsderby.co.uk/) 2. Solar Battery Storage # Solar Battery Storage in Derby [Eco Solar Panels UK](https://ecosolarpanelsderby.co.uk/) fits home batteries across Derby, either with a new solar system or added to panels you already have. The battery is sized from how you actually use electricity, and the price is in writing before anything is ordered. Call about a battery 01332 919162 (+441332919162) [Get a free quote](https://ecosolarpanelsderby.co.uk/contact/) Lines open Monday to Sunday, 9am to 7pm. ![Electrician finishing a home battery fitted to the back wall of a Derby semi](https://ecosolarpanelsderby.co.uk/images/home-battery-fitted-on-outside-wall-beside-back-door-derby.webp) - Batteries with new solar systems - Batteries added to existing panels - Hybrid and AC-coupled options - Sized from your meter readings - 0% VAT on home installs until 31 March 2027 Last updated: 30 September 2026 ## What a battery does Solar panels make most of their power in the middle of the day, when many homes are empty. Without a battery, whatever the house doesn’t use at that moment goes to the grid. A battery stores that surplus and releases it in the evening, when the kettle, oven and TV are on and you would otherwise be buying electricity at the East Midlands price cap of 25.36p per kWh ([Ofgem](https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/your-energy-supply/your-energy-bill/energy-price-cap-unit-rates-and-standing-charges)). It can also charge from the grid overnight on a cheaper time-of-use tariff, then run the house through the expensive part of the day. In winter a Derby roof makes far less: PVGIS gives about 34 kWh per kWp in December against 121 in July, so overnight charging does more of the work then. ## Sizing it properly The right size depends on how much you use after the sun goes down, not on the size of your roof. A battery much larger than your evening use sits partly empty for most of the year. We size it from a year of bills or your smart meter data, and we will tell you if a smaller battery makes more sense. ## Adding a battery to panels you already have If you have panels from the Feed-in Tariff years and no battery, adding one is usually straightforward. There are two routes. A hybrid inverter replaces your existing inverter and runs both the panels and the battery. This makes sense if your inverter is old or already failing, since the Energy Saving Trust expects inverters to need replacing after about 12 years ([Energy Saving Trust](https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/advice/solar-panels/)). A separate battery inverter sits alongside your existing inverter and leaves the original system untouched. This is often the simpler choice when the current inverter is working well. Ofgem allows equipment on a Feed-in Tariff system to be repaired or replaced as long as the installation still meets the scheme rules, and most home owners only need to tell their FIT licensee about the change ([Ofgem](https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/environmental-and-social-schemes/feed-tariffs-fit/feed-tariffs-fit-generators)). We check the arrangement for your system before anything is changed. ## Cost and VAT Checkatrade lists battery storage in Derby at £4,317 to £7,434, averaging £5,640 ([Checkatrade](https://www.checkatrade.com/Search/Solar-Battery-Storage/in/Derby)). HMRC applies 0% VAT to batteries installed in homes until 31 March 2027, including a battery added to an existing solar system ([HMRC VAT Notice 708/6](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/vat-on-energy-saving-materials-and-heating-equipment-notice-7086)). If you are also thinking about panels, fitting both together shares the scaffold, survey and electrical work. [How much do solar panels cost in Derby?](https://ecosolarpanelsderby.co.uk/guide/solar-panel-cost-derby/) sets out the combined figures. ## What's included - A look at a year of your electricity use, or your smart meter data if you have it - A check of your existing inverter, meter and consumer unit - A recommendation on battery size, based on what you use in the evening - A choice between a hybrid inverter or a separate battery inverter where panels already exist - Installation in a garage, utility room or outside wall where the maker allows - Set-up of the battery app and charging schedule - Notification or approval with the network operator - A written quote with 0% VAT on a home install before any order is placed ## How the options compare Solar Battery Storage: options compared Compare No battery Largest battery offered Sized to your use Evening electricity Bought from the grid Covered, with capacity left unused Covered for a typical evening Daytime surplus Exported for a few pence Stored Stored Upfront cost None Highest Matched to the saving Cheap overnight tariffs Not usable Usable Usable, set up for you ## Related resources - [Decision Guide Is a home battery worth it without solar panels?](https://ecosolarpanelsderby.co.uk/guide/home-battery-without-solar/) - [Decision Guide How much do solar panels cost in Derby?](https://ecosolarpanelsderby.co.uk/guide/solar-panel-cost-derby/) - [Decision Guide Is this a good solar quote?](https://ecosolarpanelsderby.co.uk/guide/check-a-solar-quote/) - [Learn Buying a house with solar panels: what should I check?](https://ecosolarpanelsderby.co.uk/guide/buying-a-house-with-solar-panels/) System stopped generating? 1. 1Look at the inverter screen or lights and write down any error code or message. 2. 2Stay off the roof and leave the DC cables alone. Burning smell or smoke: keep clear and call 999. 3. 3Call us with the code and roughly how old the system is, 9am to 7pm, 7 days. 01332 919162 (+441332919162) Rules this work has to meet - Grid notification or approval from National Grid Electricity Distribution as the system requires - 0% VAT on batteries fitted in homes until 31 March 2027 (HMRC Notice 708/6) - Existing Feed-in Tariff arrangements checked before anything is changed Step by step ## How a battery job works 1. ### Share your usage A recent bill or smart meter download tells us how much you use and when. 2. ### Check the system For existing panels, we look at the inverter, meter and space for the battery. 3. ### Written quote Battery size, inverter choice and the price in writing, with 0% VAT on a home install. 4. ### Fit and set up The battery goes in, the network is notified, and the charging schedule is set to your tariff. The work ## How the work looks Illustrative photos of the methods and finish described on this page. They are not records of particular customers' jobs. - ![Stacked home battery fitted in an under-stairs cupboard, Derby](https://ecosolarpanelsderby.co.uk/images/battery-stack-under-stairs-cupboard-derby.webp) Stacked home battery fitted in an under-stairs cupboard - ![Cabling between a hybrid inverter and a home battery, Derby](https://ecosolarpanelsderby.co.uk/images/hybrid-inverter-and-battery-cabling-derby.webp) Cabling between a hybrid inverter and a home battery Exporting most of your solar? A battery keeps it for the evening. Call or send your postcode for a free quote. Lines open Monday to Sunday, 9am to 7pm. 01332 919162 (+441332919162) [Get a free quote](https://ecosolarpanelsderby.co.uk/contact/) Where we work ## Where we work in Derby and the East Midlands Based on 219 Burton Rd, Derby DE23, we work across Derby and the East Midlands. These towns have their own local pages: - [Solar panels in Belper](https://ecosolarpanelsderby.co.uk/solar-panels-belper/) - [Solar panels in Matlock](https://ecosolarpanelsderby.co.uk/solar-panels-matlock/) - [Solar panels in Burton upon Trent](https://ecosolarpanelsderby.co.uk/solar-panels-burton-upon-trent/) - [Solar panels in Long Eaton](https://ecosolarpanelsderby.co.uk/solar-panels-long-eaton/) - [All areas we cover](https://ecosolarpanelsderby.co.uk/areas-we-cover/) Questions ## Solar Battery Storage: common questions ### How much does a solar battery cost in Derby? Checkatrade puts solar battery storage in Derby at £4,317 to £7,434, with £5,640 as the average. The size of the battery and whether a new inverter is needed make most of the difference. Batteries fitted in homes carry 0% VAT until 31 March 2027. ### Can I add a battery to my existing solar panels? Usually, yes. Either a hybrid inverter replaces your current one and runs the panels and battery together, or a separate battery inverter is added alongside the old one. Which is better depends on the age of your inverter and your Feed-in Tariff, and we check both first. ### Will a battery keep my lights on in a power cut? Only if the system is set up for backup. Most home batteries switch off with the grid in a power cut unless they have a backup or emergency power function and the wiring to go with it. If that matters to you, say so at the start, because it changes the equipment and the price. ### Is a battery worth it without solar panels? It can be, on a time-of-use tariff that makes overnight electricity much cheaper, because the battery charges cheaply and runs the house in the evening. The saving depends on the tariff gap. [Is a home battery worth it without solar?](https://ecosolarpanelsderby.co.uk/guide/home-battery-without-solar/) works through it. ### Do you cover my area? We are based at 219 Burton Rd, Derby DE23, and cover Derby, including [Belper](https://ecosolarpanelsderby.co.uk/solar-panels-belper/), [Matlock](https://ecosolarpanelsderby.co.uk/solar-panels-matlock/), [Burton upon Trent](https://ecosolarpanelsderby.co.uk/solar-panels-burton-upon-trent/) and [Long Eaton](https://ecosolarpanelsderby.co.uk/solar-panels-long-eaton/), plus Swadlincote, Chesterfield, Ilkeston, Ashbourne, Ripley, Heanor, Alfreton and Duffield. Lines are open Monday to Sunday, 9am to 7pm. Call 01332 919162 (+441332919162) with your postcode and we will confirm. [All areas we cover](https://ecosolarpanelsderby.co.uk/areas-we-cover/). ### Can I call outside opening hours? Lines are open every day from 9am to 7pm. If a panel, cable or inverter is smoking, sparking or smells of burning, stay clear of it and ring 999. A system that has simply stopped or is making less than usual is not an emergency, and a call the next morning is fine. Related ## Related services - ### [EV Charger Installation](https://ecosolarpanelsderby.co.uk/ev-charger-installation/) A home charge point on the drive, set up to soak up spare solar in the day and cheap overnight rates the rest of the time. View service - ### [Solar Panel Maintenance](https://ecosolarpanelsderby.co.uk/solar-panel-maintenance/) A health check that compares what your system makes with what it should make for a Derby roof, then tests the inverter, isolators, wiring and fixings. View service - ### [Solar Panel Repair](https://ecosolarpanelsderby.co.uk/solar-panel-repair/) Fault finding on systems fitted by anyone: dead or tripping inverters, isolators, cabling and damaged panels, plus taking panels off and refitting them for roof work. View service Keep more of the power your panels make. Call for a free battery quote, or send your postcode and we will ring you back. Lines open Monday to Sunday, 9am to 7pm. 01332 919162 (+441332919162) [Get a free quote](https://ecosolarpanelsderby.co.uk/contact/)