.png)
How a grid-tied battery upgrade works
Grid-Tied With Battery: A Power Uprade
With battery storage, excess solar energy is stored instead of sent back to the grid, providing backup power when needed. This upgrade enhances your home’s energy resilience, lowers grid reliance, and increases your control over energy costs.
Battery
Dependable Power Backup
Adding a ZEN battery upgrade ensures dependable power for your grid-tied system. By storing surplus energy during peak sunlight hours, your battery provides power when needed most—overnight, during cloudy days, or in case of outages. Built for resilience and longevity, ZEN’s battery solutions reduce grid dependence and extend the benefits of solar energy, making it a lasting investment in your system’s independence and efficiency.
.png)
How a grid-tied battery upgrade works
SMART STORAGE FOR GREATER CONTROL AND SAVINGS
With battery storage, excess solar energy is stored instead of sent back to the grid, providing backup power when needed. This upgrade enhances your home’s energy resilience, lowers grid reliance, and increases your control over energy costs.
SOLAR PANELS
Efficient Solar Energy Capture
With battery storage added, your existing solar panels continue capturing sunlight and converting it into direct current (DC) electricity. This energy powers your home and charges the battery, ensuring stored power for high-demand times or outages. High-efficiency panels optimise energy capture to support reliable, consistent system performance.
Solar Inverter
Seamless Energy Flow
In your upgraded system, the inverter remains crucial, transforming DC electricity from your panels into alternating current (AC) for home use. With battery storage, it also regulates energy flow to and from the battery, ensuring stored power is available during peak usage or low solar production.
Energy Monitoring
Optimised Energy Control
Energy monitoring is key to maximising your upgraded system’s potential. Real-time data on production, usage, and storage levels helps you make informed decisions to adjust consumption and minimise grid reliance. This enables smarter, more efficient energy management, turning every watt of solar power into measurable savings.
The Grid
Savings Through Balance
With battery storage, you gain more control over grid interaction. When your battery is fully charged, excess solar energy flows to the grid, earning credits and enhancing savings. This balance between stored power and grid support optimises system efficiency, ensuring seamless operation and financial benefits.
Battery Upgrade
Options:
AC vs. DC Systems
Choose between AC or DC Coupled systems to align with your existing solar setup and energy goals.
AC COUPLED
SYSTEM
For homes already powered by solar, the AC Coupled system is designed to integrate with your current inverter, allowing a seamless upgrade with battery storage. This approach requires minimal adjustments, ensuring compatibility and enhanced performance to make the most of your existing setup.
DC COUPLED
SYSTEM
Ideal for new installations, the DC Coupled system links solar panels and battery storage through a single inverter process, maximising efficiency from the start. This streamlined setup optimises energy use and is perfect for those installing solar and battery systems simultaneously.
.svg)
Why choose a battery upgrade for your system
GREATER INDEPENDENCE, RESILIENCE, AND SAVINGS
Adding battery storage to your grid-tied system increases energy resilience, lowers grid reliance, and maximises solar power usage. Ideal for reducing energy costs and ensuring reliable power during outages, this upgrade boosts your home’s energy security and independence.
.svg)
Advantages
Enhanced energy security
Switches to backup power instantly, keeping essential household functions running smoothly during outages.
Increases energy autonomy
Utilises stored solar power for higher self-sufficiency, reducing reliance on grid power during peak times or outages.
Optimised use of excess energy
Captures and stores extra solar energy, eliminating waste and maximising energy efficiency.
Considerations
Higher upfront costs
The initial investment may be higher, but energy savings and autonomy make it worthwhile over time.
Compatibility checks
Ensuring smooth integration with your existing solar setup is essential to avoid compatibility issues.
Conversion efficiency losses
Some energy loss may occur during conversion and storage, a trade-off for having reliable backup power.
Battery upgrade vs. other systems
Evaluating System Upgrades
This table allows you to compare your current grid-tied system with the benefits of transitioning to a hybrid battery setup. It highlights the key differences between grid-tied, hybrid, and off-grid systems, helping you understand how adding storage can elevate your system’s performance and resilience.
Considerations
Grid-tied solar system
Hybrid battery solar system
Off-grid solar system
Initial cost (incl. GST)
From $11,500
From $24,500
From $38,700
Dependence on grid
Full
Partial
None
Backup during outages
No
Yes
Yes
Electricity bills
Average 60% savings + Export Credits
Average 80% savings + Export Credits
None
Ideal for
Urban / suburban areas, lower initial investment
Unreliable grid areas, those seeking backup
Remote locations, full independence
Maintenance
Low
Medium (battery care)
Medium (battery care)
Scalability
High
High
Limited
Environmental impact
Low
Lower
Lowest
Payback period
5-8 Years
7-10 Years
NA
Battery upgrade pricing
Affordable Paths to Energy Independence
A battery upgrade adds value to your solar system, enhancing control and resilience. Our flexible pricing and customised solutions fit a range of energy needs and budgets, making sustainable, independent energy an achievable investment.
Low power usage
Small battery*
- Average current system generation: 18-26 kWh/day
- Average current consumption: 10-15 kWh/day
- Average grid export: 8-11 kWh/day
Medium power usage
Mid-sized battery*
- Average current system generation: 27-39 kWh/day
- Average current consumption: 16-23 kWh/day
- Average grid export: 11-16 kWh/day
High power usage
Large battery*
- Average current system generation: 40-48 kWh/day
- Average current consumption: 24-28 kWh/day
- Average grid export: 16-20 kWh/day
Find out what affects the cost of your battery Storage Upgrade
Energy needs
Battery size must align with consumption levels, impacting overall system cost.
Battery capacity
Battery size, based on usage patterns, is a key investment factor.
Components quality
High-quality batteries and inverters affect long-term reliability and costs.
Install complexity
Integration and backup planning costs influence the overall investment.
Energy goals
Grid independence or high savings goals require larger, costlier systems.
Tech upgrades
Smart tech and EV charging boost efficiency but increase initial costs.
Custom solutions
Personalised systems for unique needs can significantly alter financial outlay.
.svg)
The ZEN solar difference
Discover the advantages:
7 key reasons to choose ZEN Energy
1. NZ-Owned and Operated Since 2014
Serving Kiwis for over a decade, we’re a proud New Zealand-owned business with local expertise you can count on.
2. Proven Track Record Across NZ
With 1,000+ installations nationwide, we’ve delivered reliable solar solutions for homes, businesses, and large-scale projects alike.
3. Unmatched Expertise in Solar Design
Our team combines over 50 years of solar engineering and technical expertise, ensuring each system is designed to maximise performance.
4. Custom Solutions for Unique Energy Needs
We design every solar solution to align with your specific energy goals and property requirements, from off-grid homes to commercial projects.
5. Premium Technology, Award-Winning Brands
Using world-class products like LONGi, GoodWe, and Pylontech, our systems are built for performance and durability, backed by global awards, accolades and financial stability.
6. Thorough Technical Review on Every Install
Each installation undergoes a rigorous technical review, ensuring that every detail is optimised for maximum safety and efficiency.
7. Lifetime Support for Your Solar Investment
Our support doesn’t end after installation. We’re here to help you maximise your system’s value and performance for years to come.
Ready to soak up the
benefits of solar energy
with ZEN
Ready For
Your Power
to Change Hands?
Start your switch to solar today. Get in touch and we can support your journey to energy savings, sustainability and self-sufficiency.
No strings attached.