Home batteries can cut energy bills, but payback may take decades

Homeowners in the Netherlands can lower their energy bills by adding home batteries, but it is still unclear how long it takes to recover the investment, the Dutch homeowners’ association Vereniging Eigen Huis (VEH) reported.

In a 2024 trial, VEH studied 13 households using different types of home batteries to measure both practical and financial benefits. The trial found that home batteries helped households use about 30 percent more of the electricity they generate.

For instance, a household with 12 solar panels increased the share of their own electricity they used from 33 percent to 68 percent by installing a 5 kWh battery. In another case, a larger household with 36 panels increased its self-consumption from 6 percent to 35 percent using a 10 kWh battery.

However, CE Delft analyzed the energy data and estimated that the payback period for an average household could be between 10 and 22 years, depending on energy prices and contract type.

VEH added that most home batteries last between 10 and 15 years. By storing electricity, households can use more of the power they produce instead of feeding it back into the grid.