Do I need a battery with solar panels?

Q: Do I need a battery with solar panels?

No. A grid-tied system works without one: the panels supply your home while the sun is up, and where your utility offers net metering the extra earns a bill credit. A battery adds backup power in outages and lets you use daytime solar at night. It also adds cost: EnergySage put home battery prices at about $1,130 per kWh in the first half of 2026, and the federal credit that covered battery storage ended after 2025.

Updated October 25, 2026. Every answer lists the sources we read it from. If we couldn't back an answer, we left the question out.

The Department of Energy describes storage as a way to use solar power when it is needed most, regardless of whether it's sunny at the time: at night, after dinner, or when the power goes out.

At that price, one 13.5 kWh battery is about $15,255. The IRS's Residential Clean Energy Credit listed battery storage technology of at least 3 kWh as a qualified expense, and is not available for property placed in service after December 31, 2025.

Run your own numbers: Size a home battery

Sources

U.S. Department of Energy: Homeowner's Guide to Going Solar
EnergySage: Home energy market, first half of 2026
IRS: Residential Clean Energy Credit

Do solar panels work on cloudy days and in winter?
How long do solar panels last?
What is net metering?
How many solar panels does it take to charge an EV?

All 8 questions on home solar · Every question we answer

Size a home battery

Estimates only. Your actual costs depend on your utility's rate plan, how and when you charge or use power, and local prices. This is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice. See our disclaimer.

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