Home Battery Without Solar: A Simple, Non-Technical Guide (UK)
You can run a home battery without solar PV. Charge when electricity is cheap, use it when it is expensive, and keep essentials on during a power cut. Blue Ape are certified Tesla installers and trusted Octopus partners. Switch to Octopus via Blue Ape and get £50.
Visit our website — all our prices are displayed on our website. Follow the link to learn more.
What Is a Home Battery (in one minute)
- A neat box that stores electricity for later.
- It fills up when prices are low (often at night).
- Your home then uses that stored power when prices are high (often in the evening).
- Many systems keep essentials running during a power cut.
How It Works (step-by-step, no jargon)
- Charge: The battery charges during cheap-rate hours on your tariff.
- Store: The energy sits ready until you need it.
- Use: At peak times your home draws from the battery first, so you buy less from the grid.
- Backup: If the power goes out, supported systems switch over and keep lights, Wi-Fi and the fridge running.
Who This Suits
- Homes without suitable roofs for solar.
- Renters or listed buildings where panels are tricky.
- Families with high evening usage.
- Anyone who wants peace of mind during power cuts.
- People on off-peak or smart time-of-use tariffs.
Real-World Savings (simple)
The idea is “buy low, use high”. The bigger the gap between your cheap hours and peak hours, the better the saving.
Blue Ape will look at your usage and your tariff to show expected savings before you buy.
As a trusted Octopus partner, we can advise on the best tariff for your pattern. Switch to Octopus via Blue Ape and get £50.
What Size Battery Do I Need (quick guide)
- Small homes or low users: 4–5 kWh to cover core evening needs and basic backup.
- Average homes (3–4 beds): 5–8 kWh for deeper bill cuts and longer backup.
- Larger homes or EV users: 10–13.5 kWh+ for heavier evening loads and some EV top-ups.
💡 Tip: it is often better to choose a size that you will use every day than to oversize and under-use.
Costs and Incentives (straightforward)
Typical installed ranges depend on brand, size and site survey:
- 4–5 kWh: about £4,500–£6,500.
- 10–13.5 kWh: about £8,000–£11,000+.
Many qualifying UK home battery installs benefit from 0% VAT.
We model payback for you based on your usage and tariff so you can decide with confidence.
Visit our website — all our prices are displayed on our website. Follow the link to learn more.
The Kit We Install (trusted brands)
- Tesla Powerwall 3 installed by Blue Ape certified engineers.
- Leading battery systems including Hanchu ESS and Fox ESS, offering options for different budgets and spaces.
- App control to set charge times and see savings.
- Fast switchover for backup on supported systems.
Safety and Installation (no DIY needed)
- High-energy batteries must be fitted by trained professionals.
- Blue Ape handle design, permissions, installation and testing.
- We set your charge windows and show you how to use the app.
- Clean, tidy and fully certified handover.
Can I Add Solar Later?
Yes. Many systems are “PV-ready”. We can start with a battery now and add panels later without ripping anything out.
You will then save from both off-peak charging and your own solar.
FAQs (10 clear answers)
1. Do I need solar panels for a home battery?
No. You can charge from the grid on cheap hours and use that energy later.
2. Will a battery actually save me money without solar?
Often yes, if your tariff has cheaper night rates and you use most of your power in the evening. We will show your numbers before you buy.
3. What happens in a power cut?
On supported systems the battery switches over and keeps key appliances on until power returns.
4. Is Tesla Powerwall good without solar?
Yes. Powerwall supports time-based control and whole-home or circuit-level backup when installed by certified partners like Blue Ape.
5. How big should my battery be?
Small users: 4–5 kWh. Average users: 5–8 kWh. High evening use or EV: 10–13.5 kWh+. We size it to fit your pattern.
6. Is it safe?
Yes when professionally installed. We follow UK standards and manufacturer rules, choose safe locations and commission the system correctly.
7. Do I need planning permission?
Usually no for indoor installs. Flats, listed buildings or outside wall units may need checks. We advise during your survey.
8. What does it cost?
Around £4,500–£6,500 for smaller systems, £8,000–£11,000+ for larger ones, subject to survey. We confirm everything up-front – visit our website for indicative prices.
9. Do batteries get 0% VAT?
Many qualifying home battery installs benefit from 0% VAT. We confirm eligibility at the time of order.
10. Can you help with my tariff and Octopus?
Yes. As a trusted Octopus partner we recommend suitable tariffs. Switch to Octopus via Blue Ape and get £50.
Next Steps (fast and simple)
- Book a free battery assessment with Blue Ape.
- Share your address and, if available, half-hourly usage data.
- Receive a right-sized design, clear savings model and fixed proposal.
- Get tariff advice from a trusted Octopus partner.
- Switch to Octopus via Blue Ape and get £50.
- Choose your installation date – we also install at the weekend so no need to take time off work.
