--- title: How Much Battery Storage Do You Need for Your Home? A Residential Guide for 2026 description: Not sure what size home battery you need? Learn how to use your solar generation, grid usage and solar exports to choose the right battery size and reduce electricity costs. image: https://www.adorenergy.com.au/hubfs/Blog%20Banner%20for%20Website%20Content%20(10)-1.png --- [ADORENERGY](https://www.adorenergy.com.au/) Rebates [NSW BESS RebateNew](https://www.adorenergy.com.au/nsw-bess-rebate) [Commercial PV RebateNew](https://www.adorenergy.com.au/commercial-pv-rebate) [Home Energy Saver LoanNew](https://www.adorenergy.com.au/home-energy-saver-loan) Who We Serve [Residential](https://www.adorenergy.com.au/residential) [Commercial](https://www.adorenergy.com.au/commercial) [Industrial](https://www.adorenergy.com.au/industrial) Partners Solar Retailers EPCs Electrical Contractors Builders [Energy Hub](https://www.adorenergy.com.au/ador-energy-blog) About [Who We Are](https://www.adorenergy.com.au/about) Our Projects [Contact](https://www.adorenergy.com.au/contact) [Contact us](https://www.adorenergy.com.au/contact) ADORENERGY Rebates [NSW BESS Rebate New](https://www.adorenergy.com.au/nsw-bess-rebate) [Commercial PV Rebate New](https://www.adorenergy.com.au/commercial-pv-rebate) [Home Energy Saver Loan New](https://www.adorenergy.com.au/home-energy-saver-loan) Who We Serve [Residential](https://www.adorenergy.com.au/residential) [Commercial](https://www.adorenergy.com.au/commercial) [Industrial](https://www.adorenergy.com.au/industrial) Partners Solar Retailers EPCs Electrical Contractors Builders [Energy Hub](https://www.adorenergy.com.au/ador-energy-blog) About [Who We Are](https://www.adorenergy.com.au/about) Our Projects [Contact](https://www.adorenergy.com.au/contact) [Contact us](https://www.adorenergy.com.au/contact) 370825398760 # How Much Battery Storage Do You Need for Your Home? A Residential Guide for 2026 Oct 9, 2026, 10:56:20 AM · Daniel Mercer ![Australian home with rooftop solar panels and a battery for storing electricity.](https://www.adorenergy.com.au/hubfs/Blog%20Banner%20for%20Website%20Content%20(10)-1.png) # How Much Battery Storage Do You Actually Need? If you're thinking about adding a battery to your home, one of the first questions is usually: **What size battery should I get?** You might have heard that a bigger battery means bigger savings. But that's not always true. If your battery is too small, you might still need to buy electricity from the grid at night. If it's too large, you could end up paying for storage you rarely use. The best battery size depends on your home, how much electricity you use and how much extra solar power you have available to store. In this guide, we'll explain how to work out what size battery may suit your home, what to check on your electricity bill, and how free electricity plans could help charge your battery when your solar isn't enough. # ![Homeowner checking solar generation and battery storage to choose the right battery size.](https://www.adorenergy.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/BS%20FOR%20HOME%20-%20IMAGE%201.png?width=1920&height=1080&name=BS%20FOR%20HOME%20-%20IMAGE%201.png) --- # 1. Start With How Much Solar You Have Before choosing a battery, look at your existing solar system. A home with a large solar system may generate enough extra electricity to charge a battery during the day. A home with a smaller system may not have enough surplus solar, especially during winter or cloudy weather. Check: - How many solar panels you have - The size of your solar system in kW - How much electricity it generates each day - How much electricity your home uses while the sun is shining - How much unused electricity is left over For example, you might have a 6.6 kW solar system, but that doesn't mean it produces 6.6 kWh of electricity every hour. Actual generation changes throughout the day and depends on sunlight, shading, roof direction and the weather. **The important question is not just how much solar you have, but how much extra electricity it produces after your home has used what it needs.** ### Example Imagine your solar panels generate 25 kWh on a sunny day. Your home uses 10 kWh while the panels are generating electricity, leaving around 15 kWh potentially available for export or battery charging. In this example, there may be enough excess solar to charge a medium-sized battery. But the result will change from day to day. --- # 2. How Much Electricity Do You Still Buy From the Grid? Having solar doesn't necessarily mean your home runs entirely on solar power. You might still buy electricity from the grid in the evening, overnight or on cloudy days. Your electricity bill can help you understand how much electricity you're buying, but your bill total alone won't tell you exactly what battery size you need. Look for your electricity usage in kWh. If possible, also check your smart meter data or retailer app to see when you're importing electricity from the grid. For battery sizing, the most useful questions are: - How much electricity do you buy after sunset? - How much do you use overnight? - Do you use a lot of electricity between 4 pm and 10 pm? - Do you regularly buy electricity even on days when your solar system generates plenty? This matters because a battery is most useful when it can store energy that you would otherwise need to purchase later. ### Example Imagine your household uses 12 kWh of electricity between sunset and the following morning. If you can store enough excess solar energy during the day, your battery may be able to cover much of that usage. However, you may still need some grid electricity if the battery runs low, your usage increases or your solar system hasn't generated enough to recharge it. **Your evening and overnight electricity use is one of the best starting points for estimating battery size.** --- # 3. How Much Solar Electricity Do You Sell Back to the Grid? If you already have solar, your electricity bill may show how much electricity you've exported to the grid. This is important because **your solar exports show how much electricity may be available to charge a battery**. When your solar panels generate more electricity than your home needs, the excess can be sent to the grid. Your retailer may pay you a solar feed-in tariff for that electricity. A battery gives you another option: store some of that excess electricity and use it later. Before choosing a battery, check: - Your average daily solar exports - Whether you export more during summer than winter - How much electricity you use after sunset - Whether your solar exports are consistent throughout the year ### Example Imagine your home exports an average of 10 kWh of electricity on a sunny day. You may be able to use some of that energy to charge a battery rather than exporting it all. But if you only export 3 kWh on a cloudy winter day, you won't have enough excess solar to fully charge a large battery from solar alone. Remember, your solar exports are not the same every day. --- # 4. Can Your Excess Solar Fully Charge Your Battery? This is one of the most important questions to ask before buying a battery. You want to know whether your solar system regularly generates enough unused electricity to charge the battery, while still meeting your household's needs. Let's look at a simple example. | Daily energy | Example | | --- | --- | | Excess solar available | 12 kWh | | Evening and overnight usage | 8 kWh | | Proposed battery size | 10 kWh |   In this example, there appears to be enough excess solar to charge a 10 kWh battery on a suitable sunny day and enough evening usage to use much of the stored energy. However, the amount of energy actually stored and delivered will be affected by charging losses, the battery's usable capacity, its charge rate and your home's changing electricity demand. Now imagine the same home only exports 4 kWh on an average day. A 10 kWh battery may not fully charge from solar alone on that day. That doesn't automatically mean you need a smaller battery. It means you need to understand how often the battery will charge fully, how much energy you'll use, and whether another charging option makes financial sense. **The goal is to choose a battery that suits both your available solar energy and your household's electricity needs.** --- # 5. What If Your Solar Can't Fully Charge the Battery? Not every home generates enough excess solar to fully charge a battery every day. This could happen if: - Your solar system is relatively small - Your home uses a lot of electricity during the day - Your roof has shading - You have several cloudy or rainy days - You use more electricity during winter - Your battery is larger than your usual solar surplus One option is to charge the battery from the grid when electricity is cheaper or free under a suitable electricity plan. For example, some retailers offer free daytime electricity periods that may allow compatible batteries to charge from the grid. This could be useful for homes with limited roof space, smaller solar systems or households that regularly need more stored energy than their solar panels can provide. However, **free electricity does not automatically mean a free electricity bill**. Your plan may still have a daily supply charge and normal usage rates outside the free period. --- # 6. Can Free Electricity Help You Use a Smaller Solar System? Potentially, yes. If your roof has limited space, adding more solar panels may not be possible. Instead, you may be able to combine the solar you already have with a battery and an electricity plan that offers free or cheaper charging periods. For example, a compatible battery could charge using excess solar first, then top up from the grid during a free electricity window if needed and permitted by the system and plan. This can help you store energy for later in the day. But the right setup depends on: - Your existing solar system - Your battery's usable capacity - Whether your inverter and battery support grid charging - How much electricity your household uses - The plan's free period and conditions - Your daily supply charge and rates outside the free period It's worth comparing the cost of installing additional solar with the cost of charging a battery from the grid. The cheapest option depends on your home and electricity plan. --- # 7. Electricity Plans to Consider: GloBird and Flow Power If your solar system can't fully charge your battery, it may be worth comparing electricity plans that offer free daytime power or other battery-friendly pricing. Two options to investigate are GloBird Energy and Flow Power. Plan availability, rates and conditions can change, so always check the current offer for your address before switching. ## GloBird FOUR4FREE GloBird's FOUR4FREE plan offers four hours of free electricity each day to eligible residential customers on standard circuits. For customers joining from 1 July 2026, the advertised free period is **11 am to 3 pm**. Controlled-load and dedicated circuits are excluded, and normal usage rates apply outside the free period. A smart meter is required. For a homeowner with a battery, this could provide an opportunity to charge the battery from the grid during the free period if the battery and inverter support it and the plan conditions allow it. For example, if your solar system only provides enough surplus to partially charge your battery, free daytime grid electricity may help top it up. However, check the full plan costs. Your daily supply charge still matters, and electricity used outside the free period may cost more than on another plan. Official plan details: [https://www.globirdenergy.com.au/four4free-plan-terms-and-conditions/](https://www.globirdenergy.com.au/four4free-plan-terms-and-conditions/) ## Flow Power Flow Power offers residential plans including **4FREE** and **Happy Hour**, with features designed for different household energy setups. Its 4FREE plan advertises up to 8 kWh of free electricity per hour between 11 am and 3 pm, subject to the plan's terms. Its Happy Hour plan is aimed at homes with solar and a battery, with an advertised peak export rate of up to 35 cents per kWh on the first 15 kWh exported between 5:30 pm and 9:30 pm. Actual eligibility and rates depend on the offer for your address. These plans work differently, so don't choose based only on the free period or advertised feed-in rate. Compare the whole plan, including: - Daily supply charge - Electricity rates outside the free period - Solar feed-in rates - Any export limits or conditions - Whether you can schedule battery charging - How the plan works with your usage Official plan details: [https://flowpower.com.au/residential/](https://flowpower.com.au/residential/)   --- # 8. Don't Forget the Daily Supply Charge Even if you have solar and a battery — or access to free electricity for several hours — you may still have to pay a daily supply charge. This is a fixed amount charged for supplying your property with electricity. It generally applies regardless of how much electricity you use from the grid. For example, if your daily supply charge is $1.20, that would add up to $36 over a 30-day month, before any usage charges or credits. The actual charge depends on your electricity plan and network area. This is why it's important to compare the **total electricity bill**, rather than focusing only on free electricity or the solar feed-in tariff. A plan with free daytime electricity might still work out more expensive if its supply charge or other usage rates are higher. Before switching, compare: - Daily supply charge - Peak, shoulder and off-peak rates, if applicable - Free electricity periods - Solar feed-in tariffs - Battery charging and export conditions - Your actual household usage You can also compare available offers through the Australian Government's Energy Made Easy website. --- # 9. How Do You Know What Size Battery to Get? The best way to choose a battery is to look at your household's electricity data rather than guessing based on the number of people in your home. Here are the main things to check. **1. Your solar system size** How much electricity can your panels generate? **2. Your excess solar** How much electricity do you export to the grid on a typical day? **3. Your grid usage** How much electricity do you buy in the evening and overnight? **4. Your battery charging options** Can your battery charge from solar only, or can it also charge from the grid during suitable periods? **5. Your budget** How much are you prepared to spend, and what savings or backup benefits are you looking for? **6. Your future plans** Are you planning to buy an EV, install a pool or use more electricity in the future? An installer can use this information to estimate a suitable battery size and explain the trade-offs between a smaller and larger system. Also check the battery's **usable capacity**, not just its advertised total capacity. Usable capacity is the amount of stored energy available for use under the manufacturer's operating limits. --- # 10. A Simple Checklist Before You Buy Before choosing a battery, make sure you can answer these questions: - How large is my existing solar system? - How much electricity does it generate each day? - How much solar electricity do I export? - How much electricity do I buy from the grid? - How much electricity do I use at night? - Can my excess solar charge the battery fully on a typical day? - Can the battery charge from the grid if needed? - Would a free electricity plan suit my household? - What is the daily supply charge? - What are the normal electricity rates outside any free period? - How much usable battery capacity do I need? - Do I want backup power? - Could my electricity use increase in the future? These answers will help you avoid buying a battery that is too large for your needs or too small to provide the benefits you're looking for. --- # We Can Also Help You Get Started At Ador Energy, we believe a battery should be selected around your home and how you use electricity — not simply based on the biggest capacity available. We can help assess your existing solar system, electricity usage, available roof space and battery requirements to help you understand which options may suit your property. If you're considering a battery, start by gathering your recent electricity bills and, if available, your solar monitoring or smart meter data. This gives you a clearer starting point for understanding how much electricity you buy, how much you export and what size battery may be worth considering. **Thinking about adding a battery to your home?** Contact Ador Energy to discuss a residential solar and battery assessment. # ![Australian home with solar panels and a residential battery system.](https://www.adorenergy.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/16.png?width=1920&height=1080&name=16.png) --- # Final Thoughts Choosing a battery isn't just about buying the biggest one you can afford. It's about understanding how much electricity your home needs, how much spare solar energy you have, and whether you need another way to charge the battery. For some homes, a smaller battery may be enough. Others may benefit from more storage, especially if they use a lot of electricity at night. And if your solar can't fully charge the battery, a suitable electricity plan may provide another option — but you need to compare the daily supply charge and all other rates before deciding. **Start with your electricity data, understand your options, and choose a battery that makes sense for your home.** **Thinking about solar or a battery for your home?** [Talk to Ador Energy about a residential solar and battery assessment](https://www.adorenergy.com.au/contact) *This article provides general information only. Battery performance, savings, electricity plan conditions and incentives vary. Confirm current plan details, product compatibility and installation requirements before making a decision.* --- ## Sources and Useful Links - **NSW Government — Guide to owning a battery:** [https://www.energy.nsw.gov.au/households/upgrades/battery/guide](https://www.energy.nsw.gov.au/households/upgrades/battery/guide) - **NSW Government — Residential batteries and incentives:** [https://www.energy.nsw.gov.au/households/upgrades/battery](https://www.energy.nsw.gov.au/households/upgrades/battery) - **GloBird Energy — FOUR4FREE plan terms:** [https://www.globirdenergy.com.au/four4free-plan-terms-and-conditions/](https://www.globirdenergy.com.au/four4free-plan-terms-and-conditions/) - **GloBird Energy — Battery plans:** [https://www.globirdenergy.com.au/battery-plans/](https://www.globirdenergy.com.au/battery-plans/) - **Flow Power — Residential electricity plans:** [https://flowpower.com.au/residential/](https://flowpower.com.au/residential/) - **Flow Power — NSW residential price fact sheets:** [https://flowpower.com.au/residential/pricing/nsw-energy-fact-sheets/](https://flowpower.com.au/residential/pricing/nsw-energy-fact-sheets/) - **IPART — NSW solar feed-in tariff benchmarks for 2026–27:** [https://www.ipart.nsw.gov.au/documents/fact-sheet/fact-sheet-time-day-solar-feed-tariff-benchmarks-2026-27](https://www.ipart.nsw.gov.au/documents/fact-sheet/fact-sheet-time-day-solar-feed-tariff-benchmarks-2026-27) - **Energy Made Easy — Compare electricity plans:** [https://www.energymadeeasy.gov.au/](https://www.energymadeeasy.gov.au/) Get started ## Ready before September? 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