Can solar panels power my house at night?

Solar panels generate electricity only when sunlight hits them — they produce nothing at night. Without a battery, any solar power not used immediately is exported to the grid (and you can be paid for it via the Smart Export Guarantee). With a battery, excess daytime generation is stored and can power your home in the evening and overnight. A typical home battery stores 5–10kWh — enough to cover most evening and overnight use. The battery charges from your panels during the day and discharges when the panels stop generating. On cloudy days or in winter, generation will be lower and you will draw more from the grid. A battery adds £3,000–£5,000 to the total system cost.