Does a battery make sense without solar?

[Raven]

I am new here and thought to share this.

To answer this question, I will say yes but the use case is different. Battery-only makes sense as a backup power source essentially a more capable, permanently installed UPS. You charge from the grid when rates are low (if you're on time-of-use pricing) or during off-peak and discharge during peak or outages. The economics are tighter without solar since you're buying grid electricity and storing it. With solar, excess generation charges the battery instead of going back to the grid at a low feed-in rate. Where I see battery-only working well are areas with unreliable grid power, people who aren't candidates for solar (wrong roof orientation, renting, etc.) or those who want backup now and plan to add solar later.

 

[Coops]

That’s a fair way to put it. Without solar it’s less about saving money and more about control and backup, so the value really depends on outages and your rate plan.

 

[Alan]

I agree. Without solar, the value proposition shifts from energy production to resilience and load shifting. For some people, reliable backup power alone makes the investment worthwhile.