Current market realities and support programmes have significantly changed the landscape of domestic photovoltaics. In the past, prosumers mainly fed surplus energy into the grid to later ‘take it back’ at a discount. The new billing system, known as net billing, rewards autoconsumption, i.e. using as much of the energy produced as possible for one's own needs. This is where energy storage becomes crucial! It allows you to store surplus energy produced on sunny days (e.g. at noon) for use in the evening or at night when the sun is down and grid electricity prices are higher. Thanks to programmes such as ‘Mój Prąd’ (My Electricity), which offer attractive subsidies for energy storage, investing in such a system has become not only profitable, but standard, maximising the benefits of having your own solar power plant.

The location of the energy storage device is extremely important for its longevity and efficiency. The ideal location is a shaded and unheated room where temperatures are relatively stable. It does not need to be a heated room; on the contrary, energy storage devices such as SolaX T30 or HVS batteries have a self-heating function. This allows them to maintain an optimal operating temperature even in colder conditions. However, it is best to keep the storage environment within a temperature range of between 10 and 40 degrees Celsius. Avoiding extreme temperatures, both too low and too high, helps to maintain full performance and extend the battery life.

Proper management of charge and discharge cycles is essential for the performance and longevity of energy storage systems, just as it is for batteries in electric cars or smartphones. It is crucial to avoid excessive and continuous charging and discharging currents. This means that the storage system should not be continuously loaded with maximum current or discharged to zero. Energy storage systems achieve their highest efficiency and service life in the 10-90% charge range. Regularly discharging the battery to near zero and continuously ‘pushing’ it to 100% with high currents, especially in continuous mode, shortens its service life. Modern systems, supported by intelligent inverters, automatically optimise these processes to ensure a balance between performance and battery protection.

A modern photovoltaic system with energy storage is much more than just panels and a battery. At its heart is a hybrid inverter, which should be equipped with an advanced Energy Management System (EMS). Excellent examples are the SolaX Hybrid G4 and Ultra inverters, available in power ratings up to 30 kW per inverter. This power is more than enough to supply the vast majority of residential buildings.

The intelligent EMS not only manages the flow of energy between the panels, storage, home and grid, but also optimises the operation of the entire system. Thanks to this, the inverter decides when to charge the storage (e.g. when electricity is cheap from PV or the grid), when to discharge it (when electricity prices are high or when there is demand in the home), and when to feed surplus energy back into the grid. This maximises self-consumption and savings, while also ensuring optimal use and battery life.

One of the biggest advantages of hybrid inverters with energy storage is the Emergency Power Supply (EPS) function. This is nothing more than a guarantee of access to electricity in your home even in the event of a power failure, i.e. a common ‘blackout’.

When the public grid stops working, a traditional photovoltaic installation without storage also shuts down (for safety reasons). However, with an inverter with EPS and connected energy storage, the system automatically (in a fraction of a second) switches to island mode. This means that the house is powered directly from the energy stored in the storage unit and, if the sun is shining, also from the PV panels. The benefits are immeasurable: you do not experience power outages, and your key appliances (fridge, lighting, computer, heating pumps) can continue to operate without interruption. This gives you a sense of security and comfort, regardless of what is happening outside your home.

Investing in photovoltaics with energy storage is a step towards true energy independence. Thanks to advanced technologies and subsidy programmes, your home can become self-sufficient, and you will enjoy comfort and lower bills for many years to come.