Best Home Battery Storage Options: 2021 Guide
Last Updated: Feb 13, 2025Ever since Tesla introduced the Powerwall battery a few years ago, more than a few homeowners have wondered what the buzz was all about. For solar array owners, the appeal of lithium battery storage makes sense. On sunny days, residential solar arrays often generate enough electricity to power a home. They have enough left over to sell back to the local utility.
Table of Contents
- Are Home Batteries Worth It?
- How Many Batteries Are Needed to Power a House?
- Are Lithium Batteries Better Than Lead Acid?
- What Are Time of Use Home Batteries?
- Which Home Battery Is Right for Me?
- Can Home Batteries Save You Money?
- How Much Is a Solar Home Battery?
- What Are the Best Home Battery Options?
- Solar Rebates and Incentives
Are Home Batteries Worth It?
The idea that the power could be stored and used later, rather than sold back to the grid, will become a more attractive option. Home storage batteries can help you cut your electricity bill, especially if you live in a sunny state. However, a home can only get to Net Zero energy by being powered with clean energy captured by solar panels and stored in batteries.
Stored electricity could fill the tank of an electric car or keep the lights on in homes and neighborhoods where the electric grid has gone down. This is the idea behind making your home more resilient. In addition, it can keep some essential electric-powered items, like your refrigerator and freezer, running in the event of natural or human-made disasters that are becoming more frequent.
As that same grid becomes more sophisticated, homeowners may even have opportunities to sell their energy to utilities during high-demand times, such as 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Solar-powered batteries have been around for a while. However, they are still a young but rapidly growing market now as manufacturers continue to ramp up production to meet increasing demand. No one company dominates the market; here's a look at the current marketplace. (Note: Rise has written about battery options; since prices continue to change and the market evolves, we are revisiting this topic.)
How Many Batteries Are Needed to Power a House?
The amount of battery storage required is based on your home's energy usage. Energy usage is measured in kilowatt-hours over some time—for example, a home requiring 1,000 watts for 10 hours per day = 10 kWh per day. When calculating, you need to consider the battery's performance and how much continuous output you require. It's essential to consult with a solar energy professional to size the panels and batteries for your needs properly.
Are Lithium Batteries Better Than Lead Acid?
It would take several lithium-ion batteries to power a home for a day or more. Lead-acid batteries, which have been around for decades, are less efficient, offer less storage, are often larger, and do not last as long. Lithium batteries can be left at a partial charge without any adverse effects.
Which Home Battery Is Right for Me?
While battery technology is still in its infancy, a breakthrough came with lithium-ion batteries. These batteries–the same kind found in cell phones and many other devices–capture energy from solar panels as direct current (DC) and convert it through an inverter to alternative current (AC), the kind used in American homes.
Several flavors of battery storage exist: DC-coupled systems, AC coupled systems, AC battery systems, and hybrid converter systems. Considering the complexity of the options, ask your battery installer which system will work best with your solar array and the infrastructure of your local utility.
Generally, AC battery systems such as the Tesla Powerwall 2 and the Enphase Battery are popular with homeowners who have no desire to live off the grid. The AC coupled systems offer affordability and ease of installation. In addition, the more sophisticated hybrid converter system, such as LG Chem RESU, allows for high voltage lithium batteries.
Batteries can be sized to serve the size of your home and your solar arrays. A larger home may need a larger battery. Again, consult a clean energy expert and electrician to ensure the sizing works and the system will meet your expectations.
Can Home Batteries Save You Money?
The good news is that utilities are evolving their pricing mechanisms. A handful of states have begun to employ “avoided costs” to pay for electricity produced by residential solar installations, including Nevada and Hawaii. Avoided costs reimbursements are much less, as little as 4 cents kWh. At that rate, using the power you stored will save money, making storage a more desirable option.
In addition, utilities have begun marketing programs offering cheaper overnight electricity rates for EV owners. But for some EV owners looking to have the flexibility to charge at high-demand times, a lithium battery can serve as a less expensive option than buying energy from their utility at, say, 6 p.m.
How Much Is a Solar Home Battery?
Home battery prices below do not include installation, which can range from $2,000 to nearly $20,000 for one or more batteries. It’s not a purchase every solar array owner needs to make. Still, for those looking to be on the cutting edge of innovation or live in areas where utilities have creative rate structures, a battery could be a wise investment.
What Are the Best Home Battery Options?
While it's difficult to compare models, we've taken the extra step to look at the price per kilowatt-hour (kWh). For context, the average U.S. home uses about 30 kWh per day.
Sonnen Eco
The Sonnen Eco Batterie, based in Germany, is a lithium ferrous phosphate battery; its smallest size starts at 4 kWh and costs $9,950—coming in at almost $2,500 per kWh. If you size it up to 10 kWh, the price tag is $16,750, which drops the per kWh price to $1,675 per kWh—still quite a premium over the competition. Why? It includes an inverter and smart energy management software, differentiating itself as a more fully integrated system.
Sonnen Eco Specs
- Complete storage system, everything included and ready to connect
- Sonnen eco output: 2.5 – 3.3 kW
- 5 kWh – 15 kWh storage capacity
- Expandable in steps of 2.5 kWh
- 10,000 charge cycles
- 10 Year Warranty
Nissan XStorage
The auto manufacturing giant Nissan has a solar backup battery option called the Nissan XStorage. This battery comes in three different sizes. The 4.2 kWh system costs $3,700, while the broadest choice of 9.6 kWh costs just under $10,000. Many of these battery options are factory refurbished electrical vehicle batteries giving a useful second life to the millions of EV batteries produced in the coming years.
Nissan XStorage Specs
- Power range from 3.6 kW to 6 kW
- Nominal capacity from 4.2 kWh to 10.08 kWh
- Can be wall or floor mounted
- 5 to 10-year warranty depending on model
- Stocks both grid and renewable energy during the day
Frank Jossi
Based in St. Paul, Frank Jossi is a journalist, editor and content strategist. He covers clean energy in Minnesota for Midwest Energy News and writes frequently for Finance & Commerce. His work has appeared in more than 70 local, national and international publications.
