Home Battery Storage Payback Calculator
Estimate whether a UK home battery can pay back through tariff shifting, storing cheap electricity or increasing the value of solar self-use.
Annual value = usable capacity x annual cycles x tariff spread x round-trip efficiency.
Cycles are not always full cycles
Real batteries may do partial cycles, and value depends on how much energy is actually shifted from low-value to high-value use.
Tariff spread drives payback
A battery looks stronger when the gap between cheap charging and expensive electricity use is large. If the spread is small, payback can stretch quickly.
Warranty and degradation matter
Check usable capacity, cycle warranty and degradation terms before assuming the same savings every year.
Related calculators
Compare the battery case with the solar calculator payback tool, the electricity cost calculator and the EV charging cost calculator.
Battery storage FAQ
What is tariff spread?
Tariff spread is the difference between the price you avoid or sell at and the price you pay to charge the battery.
Does battery payback depend on cycles?
Yes. A battery that cycles more useful energy each year can capture more value, but warranty and degradation matter.
Can this compare cheap-rate charging and peak-rate use?
Yes. Use the tariff spread field for the difference between cheap charging and the price avoided later.
Does this include solar?
It can estimate battery value with or without solar, but it does not model full solar generation. Use the solar payback calculator for panel assumptions.
Is this the same as a battery charging cost calculator?
No. This estimates whether a home battery can pay back. For a simple cost to charge a battery, multiply battery kWh by your pence-per-kWh electricity price.