Battery Storage Savings Calculator

Commercial batteries save money through three main mechanisms: peak shaving (reducing demand charges by discharging during expensive peak periods), energy arbitrage (charging at cheap off-peak rates and discharging during peak rates), and solar self-consumption maximisation (storing excess solar generation for use in evenings). For businesses with solar panels, batteries typically increase self-consumption from 50-60% to 80-90%, significantly improving overall returns.

Battery sizing depends on your energy consumption profile, peak demand, existing solar capacity, and tariff structure. A general rule for peak shaving is to size the battery to cover 2-4 hours of peak demand. For solar storage, the battery should be sized to capture daily excess generation. This calculator provides an initial estimate, but our engineers will model your half-hourly consumption data to recommend the optimal size during a free site survey.

Modern commercial battery systems like GivEnergy and Tesla Powerwall are warranted for 10 years and designed to last 15-20 years. Most manufacturers guarantee at least 70-80% capacity retention after 10 years. With proper management, commercial batteries typically perform one full cycle per day, well within their rated 6,000-10,000 cycle lifetime.

Yes. Retrofitting battery storage to an existing solar installation is straightforward and is one of the most common configurations we install. The battery connects to your existing electrical infrastructure and can be programmed to prioritise storing excess solar generation. Our engineers will assess compatibility during a free site survey and recommend the best integration approach.