Solar Batteries in Winter – Functionality & Maintenance

As electricity prices continue to rise with no end in sight, more Australians are turning to solar to reduce their electricity consumption. Traditionally, winter has always been an expensive season for Australians in southern and inland regions, with most of us spending more time indoors and needing home heating to stay comfortable throughout the cold months. While it’s always going to be important to effectively manage the temperature in your home – each degree (°C) of extra heating increases energy consumption by 5 - 10% – there’s no escaping the need for home heating in winter. 

Winter blasts that force minimum temperatures to plummet – and bring cold rains and strong winds – coupled with the inadequacies of many Australian homes when it comes to truly chilly conditions, mean it’s little wonder that many Australians are looking for ways to achieve energy independence. Solar PV rooftop panels enable households to keep the heating on during the day, but with most of us at work or school during the day, what about the evenings and nights? Naturally, those are the times when we most need a cost-effective means of keeping our homes warm and comfortable. 

Typically, Australians consume more electricity during winter than in summer, which is primarily due to increased heating requirements. Find out what you can do to reduce your winter electricity use in our article, ‘Seven ways to reduce your energy bills during winter’.

Solar panels coupled with a home battery storage solution are the answer to increasing your household’s energy independence in winter and keeping you warm and comfortable inside your home when the weather outside is just the opposite. While your solar panels may produce less energy during winter than summer, the addition of the solar battery gives you greater energy independence by enabling you to choose when you use the energy your solar panels produce. 

Do solar panels work in winter?

If you picture bright sunny and cloudless skies when you think of solar, you’re not alone there. But modern rooftop solar panels are versatile and continue to work during winter and produce energy to help keep your home comfortable. Yes, the panels won’t always produce as much energy in winter as they do in summer, but that depends on a variety of factors. In fact, most Australian households find their energy generation won’t drop much at all from summer to winter as a whole, though day to day production (in terms of optimum capacity) can vary due to shorter winter days, summer heatwaves, and sky conditions such as haze and cloud cover.  Also, in winter, the sun sits lower in the sky which means its light may not hit the panels at an optimal angle throughout some of the daylight hours.

Solar panels work best between 15 and 35°C, so depending on your location, you may find that clear winter weather can be just as effective as summer weather in terms of solar panel production rates. However, households in Australia’s alpine region (stretching from New South Wales to Victoria) that receive snowfall from June to September, may experience a more significant decrease in production due to snow on the panels. Generally, as days are shorter in winter than in summer across all parts of Australia, combining rooftop solar panels with a home battery storage system is the right choice wherever you live, as this allows you to use daytime-generated energy at night. 

Protect your solar battery from cold weather

Winter can bring challenges in terms of keeping your home solar battery functioning at optimum performance during the cold months, but with our relatively mild winters – including alpine regions – compared to other parts of the world, you generally needn’t worry about the cold damaging your battery. Whether the mercury rises in summer or plummets in winter, solar batteries are designed to withstand tough conditions all year-round. That said, the effects of cold weather can result in solar battery underperformance, so take steps to minimise the impact that chilly conditions can have on your battery and maximise the benefits that adding battery storage to your solar panels delivers. 

A qualified installer knows not only the best location for your solar battery, but also where you can and can’t install it*, so consult your installer regarding the best location for your new solar battery, or if you already have a home battery, ensure it’s shielded from wintery weather. You’ll find, depending on the specific battery and the weather conditions in your area, there are many ways to protect it from the potential impact of cold weather. However, bear in mind that all weather conditions – both cold and hot – can potentially impact a solar battery, so ensure that any changes to the storage structure can allow for temperature regulation, or are adjustable for seasonal changes if required. 

Why solar battery storage is the right choice

With electricity bill shock something everyone wants to avoid, the attraction of a home solar battery is easy to see. Electricity prices have risen significantly and more bill pain is on the way, with prices set to soar further in 2023 and beyond. What’s more, with solar feed-in tariffs at an all-time low and set to drop even lower, even households that used to pay little to nothing for the energy they use at home are feeling the pinch. So, it’s no surprise that more households are turning to battery storage to use the power they generate at home rather than sell it back to the grid for a trifling return.

Enjoy clean and affordable energy all winter-long with a sonnenBatterie

Energy independence in winter and throughout the year begins with smart, safe and reliable battery power at home. sonnen’s lithium-iron-phosphate battery cells deliver a reliable and stable performance, even in the coldest regions, during the winter months. And as we provide technical support to local customers from our Australian headquarters in Elizabeth, South Australia, we're never far away if you need a hand. 

sonnen solar battery systems and home energy storage solutions include the sonnenBatterie Evo and sonnenBatterie hybrid 9.53. Choose a sonnenBatterie that suits your requirements to get the absolute most out of your investment in a home battery. 

sonnenBatterie Evo 

With the sonnenBatterie Evo, a fully integrated AC coupled solar battery storage system designed for both outdoor and indoor installations and compliant with AS/NZS 5139, you can enjoy clean and affordable energy day or night, winter or summer. And with its backup solar power feature, which includes 5kW continuous and 7kW surge capacity and Black-Start function to provide more power in backup mode, you can use more appliances and lighting in the event of a power outage. Available from your local sonnen authorised installer.

sonnenBatterie hybrid 9.53

The sonnenBatterie hybrid 9.53 is a solar battery that provides up to 80 percent of your households’ annual energy requirements. With over 100,000 units installed worldwide, including parts of the world with more significant temperature drops during the cold months of the year than our Australian winters, the sonnenBatterie is trusted by households across the globe. That's why we give the industry's leading warranty on all components in a sonnen home battery – a 10-year or 10,000 charge cycle warranty. Available from your local sonnen authorised installer now.

sonnenBatterie care

Battery care further serves to ensure the longevity of the battery cells in the sonnenBatterie. In winter, solar production may be insufficient to fully charge a sonnenBatterie regularly, so sonnen carries out remote maintenance on the battery’s sensitive cells. This has a positive effect on the overall service life and performance of the battery, ensuring smooth use throughout the year.

The sonnen home battery is recognised for its quality and comes with the industry's leading warranty – a 10 year or 10,000 charge cycle warranty on all components. Explore the sonnen product range and contact a sonnen expert to find out how we can help your home become more energy independent through the winter months. 

*Wherever you choose to install your new solar battery, always refer to the manufacturer’s specific installation instructions.