Good news: if your home already has solar panels, you may not need to start again to enjoy the benefits of battery storage.
Maybe you installed solar five years ago. Maybe you bought a Melbourne home that already had panels on the roof. Either way, you've probably noticed the same thing: your panels make most of their electricity while the sun is out, but your household may need a lot of power in the evening.
That's where a home battery can help.
And one of the questions we're asked most often at RVB Energy is: "Can I add a battery to the solar system I already have?"
In many cases, the answer is yes.
How does a battery work with existing solar?
During the day, your solar panels make electricity. Your home uses what it needs first. If there's extra energy left over, it can be exported to the grid.
With a battery installed, some of that excess solar electricity can be stored for later instead.
Imagine your panels are producing plenty of electricity at 1 pm while nobody's home. Rather than sending all of the unused power away, a battery could keep some ready for dinner time, heating, lighting and other evening activities.
That doesn't mean you'll never buy electricity from the grid again. It simply gives you another way to use more of the energy your roof produces.
Do your panels have to be a certain age?
Not necessarily. What's more important is whether your current equipment is in safe working condition and whether the proposed battery setup will be compatible with it.
An installer will usually want to know:
The size and age of your existing solar system.
The make and model of your solar inverter.
How much electricity your home uses after sunset.
Whether you want backup power during blackouts.
Where the battery could be installed safely.
Sometimes the existing inverter can stay. Other installations may need a different connection arrangement or equipment upgrade. There isn't one answer that fits every home.
Will you need to replace your solar panels?
Usually not just because you're adding a battery.
In fact, the federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program allows eligible new batteries to be paired with existing solar systems, subject to its rules.
However, if your panels are older, damaged or no longer producing enough energy for your household, it's worth checking whether a solar upgrade should be considered at the same time.
At RVB Energy, we use electricity-usage information and site details to help work through these decisions, rather than assuming every customer needs a complete replacement.
What size battery would you need?
This is the bit that surprises people: the largest battery isn't automatically the best battery.
A household that uses very little power overnight may not need the same capacity as a home with electric heating, a pool, or an electric vehicle.
We look at how and when you use electricity, as well as the energy your panels can produce, before recommending a size.
For an introduction, you can browse our solar battery comparison page.
What about blackouts?
Some battery systems can keep selected circuits, or more of the home, running during an outage. But backup isn't automatically included with every battery installation.
If keeping the fridge, lights or internet running matters to you, mention that before receiving a quote. The design needs to account for your backup priorities.
The simplest next step
If you already have solar, you don't need to guess whether a battery will work with it.
Send us your recent electricity bill and any details you have about your existing system. We can help explain the options, the likely equipment requirements and whether adding storage makes sense.
Your current solar system might have plenty more to offer. Talk to RVB Energy about adding a battery to your Melbourne home.
