Energy cost · Solar & Backup Power
Solar Battery Cost
Solar battery, installed
Bottom line: A home solar battery costs about $10,000 on average, with most installs between $6,000 and $12,000, according to Angi. That works out to $400 to $750 per kWh of storage. HomeGuide puts installed systems at $8,000 to $16,000 before incentives. Installation labor alone runs $2,000 to $3,500.
Angi puts the national average solar battery at $10,000, with most homeowners paying $6,000 to $12,000, or $400 to $750 per kWh. HomeGuide's installed range is $8,000 to $16,000 before incentives.
Cost by capacity (unit only)
| Capacity | Cost (HomeGuide) |
|---|---|
| 3 – 4 kWh | $3,000 – $5,000 |
| 5 – 7 kWh | $3,300 – $10,000 |
| 8 – 11 kWh | $7,000 – $17,000 |
| 12 – 17 kWh | $8,000 – $20,000 |
| 18 – 25 kWh | $11,500 – $23,000 |
| More than 25 kWh | $17,500 – $40,000+ |
Cost by brand
| Brand | Average starting cost (Angi) |
|---|---|
| LG | $6,000 |
| Panasonic | $7,000 |
| Growatt | $8,200 |
| EG4 | $8,500 |
| HomeGrid | $9,000 |
| Enphase | $9,500 |
| Tesla | $9,500 |
| Franklin | $10,500 |
| SolarEdge | $11,500 |
| SunPower | $12,000 |
| Generac | $12,400 |
Cost by battery type
| Type | Cost (Angi) |
|---|---|
| Lead-acid | $5,000 – $15,000 |
| Lithium-ion | $7,000 – $30,000 |
| Lithium-iron-phosphate | $9,000 – $30,000 |
Installation
Angi lists installation labor at $2,000 to $3,500; HomeGuide at $2,000 to $3,000.
Tax credit
HomeGuide's after-credit prices assume the 30% federal credit. According to the IRS, the section 25D credit is not allowed for expenditures made after December 31, 2025.
Battery or generator?
For standby generator prices, see whole house generator cost.
Cost by capacity (Angi, battery only)
| Capacity | Cost |
|---|---|
| 5 kWh | $2,000 – $3,750 |
| 10 kWh | $4,000 – $7,500 |
| 15 kWh | $6,000 – $11,250 |
| 25 kWh | $8,000 – $15,000 |
Installed cost by state (Angi)
California $8,200, Maryland $10,000, Hawaii $10,500, Massachusetts $11,200, New York $12,100, Oregon $14,000.
Other parts (Angi)
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Inverter, if not built in | $1,000 – $1,500 |
| Critical load panel | $1,000 – $2,000 |
| Electrical rewiring | $6 – $10 per sq ft (simple jobs about $1,600) |
| Maintenance | $150 – $300 |
Angi also lists sonnenCore+ at about $10,500. Its savings estimate is $700 to $1,100 a year.
Price per kWh
Angi puts batteries at $400 to $750 per kWh before installation. A 1 kWh unit runs $400 to $750, 3 kWh $1,200 to $2,250, and a typical 10 kWh battery $4,000 to $7,500 before labor of $2,000 to $3,500 is added.
If you don't have solar yet
Angi lists a solar panel system at $18,400 to $36,400 and solar shingles at $21,000 to $50,000, on top of the battery.
What a solar battery does
A home battery stores electricity from solar panels or the grid. It can power the home during outages or shift energy use from times when rates are high.
Types of setups
- Whole-home backup: batteries large enough to run most of the house.
- Partial backup: batteries power selected circuits, like the refrigerator, lights and Wi-Fi.
- Grid-tied without backup: used to shift energy use, not for outages.
What affects the price
- Battery size (kilowatt-hours) and power output.
- Number of batteries.
- Brand and warranty.
- Electrical work, such as a critical loads panel.
- Adding a battery to an existing solar system versus a new install.
Battery vs. generator
A battery is quiet and needs no fuel but has limited stored energy. A generator can run longer on fuel but needs maintenance and fuel storage. Some homes use both.
Incentives
Federal tax rules for home energy have changed recently, and the IRS says the residential clean energy credit does not apply to expenditures made after December 31, 2025. Check the IRS website and your utility for current incentives.
Questions to ask
- Which circuits will the battery back up?
- How long will it run my essential loads?
- What does the warranty cover over time?
In Texas
Texas homes on the ERCOT grid have seen major outages, which has raised interest in batteries. Some Texas retail electricity providers offer plans that pay for or use stored battery power.
How a battery installation works
A solar battery installation usually begins with a site assessment: the installer looks at your solar system, electrical panel, available wall space and the circuits you want backed up. The battery is mounted inside a garage or on an exterior wall, along with an inverter or a gateway that switches the home to battery power during an outage. Circuits to be backed up may be moved to a separate critical loads panel, unless the system is designed to back up the whole home.
Permits are required in most areas, and utilities may need to approve the interconnection, especially if the battery will send power back to the grid. Expect the process from contract to activation to take longer than the installation day itself because of permits and approvals.
Sizing a battery
Battery size is measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh), which tells you how much energy it stores, and in kilowatts (kW), which tells you how much power it can deliver at once. A battery with enough kWh but a low kW rating may not start an air conditioner or a well pump, even if it could run lights and a refrigerator for a long time. Look at both numbers when comparing.
To size a battery for backup, list what you want to run during an outage and how long outages usually last where you live. For daily savings under time-of-use rates, look at your evening usage, which is when a battery typically discharges.
How long batteries last
Most home batteries come with a warranty that covers a number of years or a total amount of energy cycled, whichever comes first, and guarantees a minimum remaining capacity at the end. Capacity declines gradually with use and heat. Installing the battery in a shaded, ventilated location helps, especially in hot climates. Ask the installer to explain the warranty terms in plain language and who handles claims if the installer goes out of business.
Questions that change the value
- Can the battery charge from the grid as well as from solar, and does your utility allow that?
- Will the system keep producing solar power during an outage? Without a battery or special equipment, most grid-tied systems shut off when the grid goes down.
- Does your utility pay for power sent back to the grid, and at what rate? Lower export credits make storing solar energy for your own use more valuable.
- Is the battery compatible with your existing inverter, or will you need new equipment?
Maintenance and monitoring
Batteries need little routine care. Use the app to check charge levels and confirm backup mode is set the way you want before storm season. Keep the area around the unit clear for airflow.
Sources
Solar companies in Texas
Our Texas business directory lists 356 solar companies across 6 major cities. The ratings below are the average Google rating of the listed businesses in each city, and the review counts are the total number of Google reviews they have received.
| City | Businesses listed | Avg. Google rating | Total reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | 108 | 4.4 | 7,408 |
| Dallas | 49 | 4.4 | 1,459 |
| San Antonio | 61 | 4.2 | 3,470 |
| Austin | 60 | 4.1 | 3,937 |
| Fort Worth | 35 | 3.7 | 1,871 |
| El Paso | 43 | 4.1 | 892 |
Source: twupro Texas business directory, built from public Google Maps listings.
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