How solar PV and battery storage work together
Solar panels generate DC electricity from daylight; an inverter converts it to the AC your home uses. You use what you need in real time, and any surplus either charges a battery or is exported to the grid. The battery stores daytime surplus so you can use it in the evening — meaning you buy less from the grid. Add an EV charger and it can soak up surplus too.
The basic flow
Panels on the roof generate DC electricity whenever there's daylight. An inverter converts that to 230V AC and feeds it into your consumer unit, so it powers whatever's running in the house at that moment. Solar always serves your live demand first — it's only the surplus that goes anywhere else.
Where the surplus goes
When you're generating more than you're using, the extra has two possible homes: a battery (if you have one) charges up, or the surplus is exported to the grid. Without a battery, most of your generation tends to be exported during the day and you buy power back in the evening at a higher rate.
Why the battery matters
A battery stores your daytime surplus and releases it in the evening, when households use the most electricity and the sun's gone. That self-consumption is where a lot of the value sits. A compatible EV charger can also divert surplus into the car, and the whole system is managed so it all works together.
Do I have to have a battery?
No — solar works without one, exporting your surplus. A battery just lets you use more of what you generate yourself rather than exporting it cheaply, which improves the value for most homes.
Does solar work in a power cut?
A standard grid-tied system shuts down in a power cut for safety. Some battery systems can be specified to keep selected circuits running during an outage — worth flagging if that matters to you.
Can it charge my EV?
Yes — a compatible charger can top your car up from surplus solar, which is one of the most cost-effective ways to use what you generate.