This article was kindly contributed by Josie Frodsham, HR Manager at energy storage specialist GivEnergy.
Installations of home battery storage systems in the UK are on the rise.
Homeowners are increasingly waking up to the fact that a home battery can save money and cut carbon emissions.
That’s great news for qualified electricians who have the chance to tap into an increasingly lucrative market.
Here, we bring you three things you need to know if you’re thinking about becoming a home battery installer in the UK.
Why are installations of home battery storage systems on the rise?
According to figures from the Microgeneration Certification Service (MCS), installations of MCS-approved home batteries hit record highs in the UK in 2023.
When it comes to GivEnergy systems (separate from MCS), our own figures suggest there are about 5,000 installations per month.
The reasons for such rapid growth?
Home battery storage systems are cheaper…
This follows the introduction of 0% VAT on all installations, as of February 2024.
There are more home solar PV installations…
Latest MCS figures suggest there are at least 519,409 residential installations in the UK.
And many of those homeowners are realising that a home battery is more than just a nice little add-on for their solar system. Instead, a home battery is necessary to ensure solar power is not wasted.
In short, solar panels don’t always generate energy exactly when you need it most, such as during peak hours. With battery storage, homeowners can store energy, and then discharge to power their property, as and when required.
Using solar energy more effectively in this way helps to reduce imports from the grid. In turn, this means lower energy bills and lower carbon emissions.
A growing home battery market means…
… more opportunities for qualified electricians to become home battery installers.
Becoming a home battery installer: 3 things you need to know
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Home batteries are NOT a specialist installation
To install home battery storage systems, you DON’T need:
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Specialist battery-related qualifications
However, you DO need:
- To be a qualified electrician
- To undergo some form of product training, usually arranged by the manufacturer
That’s not to say there are no specialist qualifications for home battery installations. For instance, the MCS runs a battery storage certificate, known by its official name of Electrical Energy Storage Systems (EESS).
But you don’t need to have this or any other specialist battery-related qualifications under your belt to get into the battery installation game.
So, the bottom line: with the necessary product training, any qualified electrician can install home batteries.
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You DON’T need to work in solar to install home batteries
Make no mistake. Home battery storage systems work best with solar PV.
If you really wanted to capitalise on the boom in home renewables, you could consider becoming a solar panel installer.
However, this is NOT a prerequisite to becoming a home battery installer. In fact, you don’t need to have any experience in renewables to install home batteries.
Some homeowners may not even have solar on their minds, especially if they opt for a standalone battery storage system.
So, the bottom line: you don’t need any experience in solar or any other renewables to install home batteries.
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A home battery installation is less than a day’s work (and you don’t need to go up a roof)
At the very least, you’re probably looking at 3-4 hours for one installation, depending on what kind of system you’re working with.
At the very most, you’re looking at less than a day’s work per installation.
And unlike being a solar panel installer, there’s no added hazard or physical hardship of going up a roof. That’s because most home battery installations tend to be at ground level. This could be:
- Inside the main area of a property (with necessary fire safety precautions)
- Outdoors (assuming the system is IP65 rated)
- In a garage
Some home battery users have opted for loft installations which involves a bit of heavy lifting.
However, such installations are currently not recommended according to guidelines released by the British Standards Institute (BSI) in March 2024.
So, the bottom line: a single home battery installation is less than a day’s work and you don’t need to go up a roof.
TL;DR
- Installations of home battery storage systems are on the rise as homeowners look for ways to reduce energy bills and carbon emissions.
- The growth in home batteries offers qualified electricians the chance to take advantage of a lucrative market.
- Home battery installations are NOT a specialist installation. You just need to be a qualified electrician and undertake some form of product training.
- You DON’T need any background in solar, and DON’T need to spend more than a day on a single installation.