Yes, and standalone batteries are one of the fastest-growing segments of our business. You do not need solar panels to benefit from battery storage.
How it works without solar:
The strategy is called tariff arbitrage. You charge the battery overnight when electricity is cheap and discharge it during the day and evening when rates are at their highest.
- Cheap overnight rates — tariffs like Octopus Go offer electricity at around 9p/kWh between midnight and 5:30am
- Peak rates — during the day and evening, standard rates can be 30p+ per kWh
- The saving — for every kWh you shift from peak to off-peak, you save around 20p. A 10 kWh battery cycled most days saves roughly £500–£800 per year.
Financial case:
- 0% VAT — standalone batteries qualify for the zero rate in their own right. HMRC extended it to batteries installed without solar from 1 February 2024, and it runs until 31 March 2027.
- Payback — typically in the region of 8–11 years, depending on the size of the battery, how consistently you cycle it and the spread between your peak and off-peak rates. We set the numbers out for your specific system in the quote.
- Funding — Home Energy Scotland withdrew grant and loan support for standalone battery storage in June 2024, and that remains the position. Anyone offering you a battery grant in Scotland should be able to name the scheme.
- Battery lifespan — 15+ years, giving you many years of savings after payback
The case is strongest for households on a time-of-use tariff with a wide peak-to-off-peak spread. If you are on a flat-rate tariff, moving tariff is the first step, and we will tell you that before selling you anything.
