Costs (including installation)

libbi

Sample pricing for the libbi is as follows:

3.68kW power / 5kWh storage: ~  £6500 + VAT.

5kW power / 20kWh storage: ~ £14500 + VAT.

VAT is 0% if you purchase storage with one or more solar panels, and 20% otherwise. (With the libbi, it's relatively simple to add a few panels, as long as you have somewhere to put them).

The approximate installed cost of the libbi system runs from £788 + VAT per kWh.

With an expectation of 10,000 lifecycles (i.e. 10,000 storage slots of 1 kWh for each kWh of storage capacity), that equates to a cost of around  7.9  + VAT pence per kWh storage slot. 

With electricity prices currently running at around 34 pence per kWh, it is clear that storing excess solar is cheaper than exporting excess to the grid when there is too much solar, and then buying back later off the grid when there isn't enough electricity from the solar. 

So a battery investment makes sense as long as there will be sufficient use of the battery overall (i.e. the storage slots purchased upfront actually get used). This comes down to proper sizing (which we can help you with if purchasing from us).

Powerwall

The installed cost of Tesla Powerwall 2 starts at £7350 + VAT. Storage capacity is around 13.5kWh and so this gives a cost of around £544 + VAT per kWh.

The Powerwall is a different chemistry from all the other batteries we offer the Powerwall is lithium manganese cobalt as opposed to lithium ferro phosphate), and so the datasheet does not offer 10,000 life cycles. On this basis, the libbi offers better value for money. But the Powerwall offers 'whole house' back-up in a power cut.

Victron

Victron offers the best of both worlds - low (10p per kWh) cost per kWh storage slot and 'whole house' back-up in a power cut. 

A 6.5kW / 15.4kWh Victron system costs around £14000 + VAT.

GivEnergy

GivEnergy also offers a low cost per kWh storage slot, but the back-up capability is limited to 2.5kW of power, for which you will need to separate out your 'emergency' loads onto a separate consumer unit. Costs from £4750+VAT.

Overall, system choice depends on budget, functionality required, and expected usage of the battery. We can advise on this.

If you would like to know more, please call us, or to request a quote (in our service area), please try our self survey form.  You can also use our battery calculator).