A practical guide to home batteries

Energy coach Keesjan Deelstra helps solar panel owners get started on keeping their energy costs under control.

Anyone with solar panels on their roof no doubt wonders from time to time: now that the net metering scheme is due to end at the end of 2026, should I invest in a home battery? Is it cost-effective? And which battery is suitable for my situation? Would a dynamic energy contract or an energy management system be a wise choice for me? Keesjan Deelstra answers these questions and many others in his book *The Home Battery Guide*. The author himself has many years’ experience as an energy coach and publishes his insights into the energy transition for households on papagreen.org. In doing so, he discovered that there is a huge gap between the technical information provided by home battery installers and the knowledge of homeowners.

Tintin

The book is exactly what it says it is: a practical guide, featuring handy calculation models, infographics and clear explanations. Deelstra spent two years ‘exploring the world of the energy transition’ and has presented all the knowledge he has gained about home batteries in a clear and organised manner in this book. From the rationale behind energy storage, the pros and cons and the costs, right through to the final decision on whether or not to install a home battery.

Cowboys

Anyone who, after reading this, still feels they are not sufficiently knowledgeable will at least know how to ask the right questions of the supplier and installer and will be able to contribute to the discussion – and hopefully protect themselves from ‘cowboys’. Because one thing is certain, as the author states in the final chapter: the future is electric. Increasing your use of self-generated electricity is, for the time being, the best reason to buy a battery.

Home Battery Check

As well as the book, Deelstra has also launched the website thuisbatterij.coach, where consumers can use the ‘Home Battery Check’ to calculate the costs for their own situation straight away and compare thirty battery brands across more than twenty features.

Opening image: Shutterstock