You’ve just started looking into solar. You like the idea of making your own power. You’ve seen the panels, read about savings, and maybe even had someone come to your house for a quote. Then someone says, “You’ll still need power from the grid at night if you don’t have a battery.”
Wait, what?
That might feel like a trick. Isn’t the whole point of solar that you make your own electricity? Why would you need the grid again?
If that thought made your head tilt, don’t worry. You’re not the only one. At PSC Energy, we walk you through exactly what happens to your solar power during the day, what happens at night, and what it all means if you don’t have a battery.
In this article, you’ll learn about the following:
- Do Solar Panels Work at Night?
- Do Solar Panels Need a Solar Battery?
- Can I use Solar Panels Without Battery Storage?
By the end of this article, you’ll understand what happens to your solar power after the sun goes down.
Do Solar Panels Work at Night?
They sure don’t. This is why we’re here.
What your solar panels do during the day:
Your solar panels work when the sun is shining. They take sunlight and turn it into electricity. This electricity can power your fridge, lights, washing machine, or TV. It gets used by your home straight away.
That’s the key part — you use it as you make it.
But what if you don’t use it all?
Let’s say it’s the middle of the day. Your panels are working hard, but no one is home. You’re not running the air conditioner or making toast. You’re not even charging your phone. What happens to all that electricity your panels are producing?
If you don’t have a battery, you can’t store that power. It goes back to the grid. The grid is the big system that brings power to everyone’s homes and takes it back when needed.
In Australia, if your solar sends power to the grid, you get paid a small amount for it. This is called a feed-in tariff.
Sounds good, right? Kind of like selling your leftovers.
But here’s the catch. The feed-in rate is often much lower than the rate you pay when you need to buy electricity back from the grid. That becomes important later.
If you’re interested in learning a bit more about AIKO solar panels, you might want to check out the following article titled, Everything You Need to Know About Aiko Neostar N-Type ABC All Black Solar Panels.
Power up your savings. Click here.
Do Solar Panels Need a Solar Battery?
When the sun sets, your solar panels stop making power. That part’s simple. No sun = no solar.
It doesn’t matter if your panels made heaps of power earlier — if you don’t have a way to store it, it’s gone.
So, how do you keep your house running when it’s dark?
You go back to using power from the grid. You flick on the lights. You open the fridge. You turn on the TV. But now you’re not using solar power.
You’re using electricity from your energy provider, and they’ll charge you for it.
Your solar system collects sunshine like rainwater. During the day, the sun pours energy onto your home. You use what you need right away, like turning on a tap.
But when you cannot store the extra, the water overflows. It runs down the gutters and into the lawn and disappears.
A battery is like a bigger tank or an extra container. It lets you keep the overflow so you can use it later, even when it’s not raining — like at night.
You already know what a battery does. It’s the thing that saves your energy for later, like a leftovers box for your electricity. No rocket science here.
If you had one, your system could hold onto the extra power your panels make during the day. Then, when the sun goes down, your home could run off that saved power instead of pulling from the grid.
That gives you more control. It also saves you money in the long run, especially if you use a lot of power at night.
And remember that meagre $0.05 feed-in tariff? You’re giving them energy for $0.05 per kWh, and they’re charging you $0.38 per kWh. It’s hardly fair, and a battery helps you store that energy rather than putting it in your retailer’s hands.
If you want to learn a bit more about how your solar system will work in a blackout, you might want to check out the following article titled, Will Your Solar Panels Work During a Blackout?
Let’s talk solar savings. Click here.
Can I use Solar Panels Without Battery Storage?
Do I need a battery?
This is the big question. And the honest answer is — it depends.
You don’t need a battery to have solar. Lots of people in Australia have solar without one. They still save money because they use solar during the day and get tiny feed-in payments for the rest.
But if you want more independence from the grid or use a lot of power in the evening, a battery can help.
Here’s a simple way to look at it:
No battery:
- You only use solar power during the day.
- You send extra power to the grid and get a small credit.
- At night, you use power from the grid and pay for it.
With battery:
- You use solar power during the day.
- You store extra power in your battery.
- At night, you use the saved power from your battery first before touching the grid.
So, is solar still worth it without a battery?
Yes, but you need to know what to expect. Without a battery, your solar system gives you savings during the day. That’s it. At night, you go back to using power from your energy provider. Your feed-in tariff helps a bit, but it won’t fully cancel out your night-time usage.
If your power use is mainly during the day — for example, if you work from home or run appliances on timers — then a no-battery setup can work well.
But if your house comes alive at night, you’re missing out.
If you’re interested in learning a bit more about solar batteries, you might want to start with the following article titled, Adding a Battery to a Solar System.
Ready to go solar? click here.
I Tried to Make a Battery Pun, but I Didn’t Have Enough Energy
Now that you understand what happens to your solar power at night without a battery, you can make better choices. Think about how much power you use during the day versus at night. Consider whether a battery can help you in the long run.
Every house is different. What works for your neighbour might not work for you. The good news is that now you know the basics. You’re no longer in the dark.
At PSC Energy, we help thousands of customers through this very decision process. Not everyone needs a solar battery. Our team is happy to help you explore your options. The right setup is the one that best fits your home, your budget, and your habits.
If you’re interested in learning a bit more about the benefits of solar batteries, you might want to start with the following article titled, 7 Benefits of Adding a Battery to Your Solar System.
