New to home battery storage? Here are 3 ways to maximise your new asset
There is a range of emotions homeowners often experience following a new home solar and battery installation.
Empowerment in taking back control of generated energy. Relief over less reliance on the energy grid. Excitement at the prospect of lower energy bills. And finally, optimism that the simple act of installing a home battery is reducing the household’s impact on the environment.
While this new asset can, on its own, provide future energy security, there are three things you can do to maximise its potential.
- Understand and adjust usage patterns
With a few adjustments to energy consumption, homeowners can improve the efficiency of a battery. Nectr recommends that you review your energy bill to monitor times throughout the day when household energy consumption is at its highest. Use high-energy appliances during daylight hours when your solar panels are producing electricity to help save the battery’s charge for evening use. You can also program appliances or use smart home devices to optimise energy use based on battery levels.
- Timing and product research is everything
If you’re still in the market for a home battery, then it’s worth reviewing the finer product details before you purchase. Key features such as black out protection, future connection to a virtual power plant (VPP) network and programmed battery charging are all features to consider. Some home batteries that integrate smart technology allow you to program battery charging times during off-peak hours when electricity rates are lower to maximise efficiency. However, this feature isn’t available for all home batteries. To take the hassle out of when and how to recharge your battery, homeowners can join a VPP network to enable the VPP operator, such as Nectr, to take care of the energy sharing and recharging.
- Consider trying a Virtual Power Plant (VPP)
Your new home battery asset could help grow your savings and even has the potential to help you earn. If you have a compatible battery system, consider joining a VPP, such as Nectr Evolve. Take the time to research and compare VPP plans available to battery owners. Some VPP plans offer never-before-seen FiT rates of 50c/kWh at peak times for energy exported from the battery to the grid, which could see you earn from your stored solar. Nectr’s Savings Estimator can provide an estimate of potential savings from joining Nectr Evolve in a few minutes. Once you’ve decided to test the benefits of a VPP, give the VPP time to align with your energy patterns. Around three to six months should provide insights into whether it’s the right VPP plan for your energy needs.
Nectr is an expert in VPP with a proprietary VPP ecosystem - Nectr Evolve – offering three different VPP plans to suit different energy needs.
To find out more about Nectr Evolve VPP plans, contact Nectr at vpp.sales@nectr.com.au or review our VPP offers here.
