Battery Capacity vs Usable Energy Explained

Why this topic matters

Battery quotes can look confusing because two numbers that seem similar can actually mean different things. If you only compare headline capacity, you can end up with asystem that does not meet your expectations in the evening or during an outage.

Understanding capacityversus usable energy helps you compare options properly and ask betterquestions before you sign.

Capacity (kWh) is not always what youcan use

Battery capacity isusually listed in kilowatt-hours (kWh). That is the total amount of energystored, like the total volume of a fuel tank.

Usable energy is theportion you can actually draw on in day-to-day operation. Many batteries keep areserve to protect the cells and maintain stable operation. That reserve is oneof the reasons a battery can last longer.

When you comparebatteries, make sure you are comparing usable energy, not just nameplatecapacity.

Depth of discharge and why batterieshold something back

Depth of discharge(often shortened to DoD) describes how much of the battery can be dischargedcompared to its total capacity.

A battery that allowsdeeper discharge can provide more usable energy, but design choices vary bymanufacturer and chemistry. The important point is simple: a battery that keepsa buffer is not “cheating”. It is protecting the battery from operating at extremesevery day.

Energy (kWh) vs power (kW): the othercommon mix-up

It is also easy toconfuse energy with power.

· kWh tells you how long something can run.

· kW tells you how big a load it can run at one time.

You can think of itlike water storage. kWh is the tank size. kW is how wide the pipe is. A largetank with a narrow pipe still cannot supply a huge burst of water.

This matters forappliances like kettles, ovens, and air conditioners. Even if your battery hasenough energy, it may not have enough power to run certain loads or runmultiple high-power loads at once.

How to do a simple runtime check

A basic runtimeestimate helps you translate usable energy into something practical.

If a battery has 10kWh of usable energy and your essential loads average 1 kW, you might expectaround 10 hours of runtime. If the average load is 2 kW, that drops to about 5hours.

Real life is messierbecause loads spike. A fridge cycles. A kettle draws a big burst. Heating andcooling can jump. But the simple math still helps you sanity check what a givenusable energy figure can realistically cover.

Backup reserve settings can changeusable energy overnight

Many systems allow youto set a backup reserve, which means the battery keeps a portion of energyaside in case of an outage.

This is a usefulfeature, but it can surprise people. If you set a 20% reserve, that chunk isnot available for normal evening use. It can make a battery feel smaller thanits headline number.

If backup is importantto you, talk through the trade-off: more reserve improves outage readiness, butleaves less usable energy for daily bill reduction.

Round-trip efficiency and conversionlosses

Another reason“capacity” is not the same as “energy you get back” is efficiency. When youcharge a battery and later discharge it, you lose some energy along the way dueto conversion and internal losses.

This is calledround-trip efficiency. Most modern systems are quite efficient, but the loss isnot zero. Over a year of cycling, efficiency can influence the overall valueyou get from storage, especially if you are charging from solar purely to uselater at night.

How VPP participation can affect usableenergy

If you join a VirtualPower Plant (VPP), the battery may sometimes be dispatched to export energy tosupport the grid. Depending on the program and your settings, that can changehow much energy is available at the end of the day.

If you wantpredictable daily behaviour, make sure you understand how reserves andparticipation rules work. It is not about avoiding VPPs, it is about choosingwhat fits your priorities.

What usable energy means for a typicalevening

Most households usestored energy between late afternoon and bedtime. That period often includescooking, heating or cooling, entertainment, and general power points.

If the usable energyis smaller than you assumed, the battery may empty sooner than expected, andthe home will start importing from the grid earlier in the night.

This is why a gooddesign starts with your evening usage pattern rather than picking a batterypurely from a brochure.

Usable energy needs to match your solarsupply

A battery with lots ofusable energy needs enough excess solar to fill it regularly. If your solarsystem is small or you use most of your solar during the day, the battery mayonly partially charge on many days, especially in winter.

In that situation thebattery’s headline capacity can look impressive, but the day-to-day benefit canbe modest. A well-sized system is one where the battery cycles often enough toearn its keep.

How degradation fits into the picture

Battery capacitydeclines slowly over time. This is normal. A battery that starts with a certainusable energy will typically deliver less usable energy after years of cycling.

Warranties ofteninclude a minimum retained capacity at the end of the warranty period. If youare aiming for a specific outcome, it is worth considering how the battery’susable energy might look later in life, not just in the first month.

Questions to ask on a quote

· What is the usable energy (kWh), not just the headlinecapacity?

· What is the continuous power rating (kW), and whatloads will that support?

· Is there a reserve set aside for backup, and how doesthat affect day-to-day usable energy?

· What capacity is guaranteed at the end of the warrantyperiod?

If an installer cananswer these clearly, it usually means they are thinking about how the systemwill work in a real home.

Bottom line

Capacity is the headline. Usable energy is whatyou actually live with. When you compare batteries using usable energy andpower rating, you can make decisions that match your household’s needs andavoid nasty surprises after installation.

How to Choose the Right Battery Size for Your Home

Battery sizing is about your evenings, not your roof

A home battery is not just a box that stores solar. It is a tool for shifting energy from when it is generated to when you actually need it.

For most households, that means covering the evening period: cooking, heating or cooling, lighting, and the background loads that never stop.

Choosing the right battery size is a balancing act between how much energy you want to shift, what you want during outages, and what makes sense financially.

Two numbers you must understand: kWh and kW

Battery specs get confusing because two different units sit side by side.

· kWh (kilowatt-hours) is the amount of energy stored. Think of it as the size of the fuel tank.

· kW (kilowatts) is the power the battery can deliver atany moment. Think of it as how wide the tap is.

A battery might have plenty of energy (kWh) but still struggle to run high-power appliances if the power rating (kW) is limited. Both matter, especially for backup.

What can a battery run, realistically?

People often think of battery sizing as a simple runtime calculation. In real homes, the limiting factor is often power, not energy.

A kettle, toaster, oven, and ducted air conditioning all draw a lot of power. A battery may have enough stored energy to run them for a while, but if the power draw exceeds what the battery and inverter can deliver, the system will limit output or trip the protected circuits.

This is why backup planning usually focuses on critical loads rather than whole-home backup. It is also why it is important to discuss which appliances you want to run at the same time, not just how long you want backup for.

Step 1: Estimate your evening and overnight usage

The most practical starting point is your electricity use from late afternoon through the night. If you have smart meter data, look at something like 4pm to 8am. If you do not, you can still make a useful estimate.

Consider:

· Cooking and kitchen loads in the evening.

· Heating or cooling after the sun goes down.

· Laundry habits and whether they can be shifted into the day.

· Hot water type: resistive electric, controlled load, or heat pump.

· Background loads: fridges, networking gear, standby devices.

If your evening use is relatively low, a large battery can end up under-used. If your evening use is high, a small battery may empty quickly and stop doing much after dinner.

Step 2: Be clear about the goal

Different goals point to different battery sizes and sometimes different hardware.

Bill reduction and self-consumption

If your main goal is reducing bills, the battery should be able to capture a meaningful portion of your typical midday excess and then cover a solid slice of evening demand.

This is where right-sizing matters. Too small and it fills quickly then you are exporting again. Too large and it rarely fills, so you are paying for capacity you do not use.

Backup power during outages

If you care about backup, ask two questions: how long you want to run, and what you want to keep running.

Most homes do not backup everything. A practical backup plan focuses on critical circuits such as:

· Fridge and freezer

· Lighting

· Internet and basic power points

· A small amount of heating or cooling, depending on the setup

· Medical equipment if relevant

High-power loads like ducted air conditioning, ovens, and EV charging may be limited or excluded from backup depending on system design. This is normal.

Peak pricing and time-of-use tariffs

If you are on a time-of-use tariff, the battery can reduce imports during expensive peak windows. Sizing depends on how long the peak period runs and your typical consumption during that time.

Some households also use batteries to charge during cheaper periods and discharge during peak. Whether that makes sense depends on the tariff spread and how the system is configured.

AC-coupled vs DC-coupled: why it matters for upgrades

If you are adding a battery to an existing solar system, you may hear terms like AC-coupled and DC-coupled.

· AC-coupled systems connect the battery through its own inverter. They can be practical for retrofits because the existing solar inverter can often stay in place.

· DC-coupled systems typically share a hybrid inverter, which can be efficient and neat for new builds or full system replacements.

There is no universal best choice. The right approach depends on what you already have, what you plan to add later, and how you want backup circuits configured.

Usable capacity vs nameplate capacity

Many batteries are marketed by their total capacity, but what matters is usable capacity. Most systems reserve some energy to protect the battery and ensure stable operation.

When comparing options, ask for the usable capacity (kWh) and the limits on depth of discharge. It is the usable portion that powers your home.

Match the battery to your solar systemsize

A battery needs energy to store. If your solar system is small or your daytime use is high, there may not be much excess solar available to charge a large battery.

As a rough principle, battery size should be chosen alongside solar size, not in isolation. The goal is a system that fills the battery often enough to be useful, without constantly overflowing into exports.

Example household scenarios (to help you sanity check)

No two homes are identical, but these scenarios show how the decision shifts.

· Small evening load: a household that cooks lightly and has modest heating or cooling may only need enough storage to cover lighting, refrigeration, and general power points. A huge battery will often be wasted capacity.

· High evening load: a family running air con into the evening, cooking nightly, and doing laundry after work may need more storage to noticeably reduce peak imports.

· Backup-focused: a household in an outage-prone area may prioritise the ability to run critical loads for longer rather than chasing maximum bill reduction.

An installer should be able to explain which scenario you most closely resemble and why.

Export limits can make batteries more valuable

If export limits apply at your property, you may find that excess midday energy is capped. A battery can capture some of that energy and shift it into the evening, improving the usefulness of your solar system.

This is one of the more practical reasons batteries can make sense even when feed-in tariffs are modest.

Summer, winter, and realistic expectations

Battery behaviour changes with the seasons because solar production changes.

· Summer: longer days can mean more solar excess and more opportunity to fully charge the battery.

· Winter: shorter days and higher household loads can mean the battery charges less often and empties faster.

A good design sets expectations for winter. If a battery only fully charges on the best summer days, it is likely oversized for your current setup.

EVs and electrification: plan ahead

If you plan to add an EV, heat pump hot water, or switch off gas cooking, your electricity demand will change. That can change both the best solar size and the best battery size.

The simplest approach is to map what you are likely to add in the next two to five years and designfor that pathway. It often avoids rework later.

VPP participation: it can influence the right size

If you join a Virtual Power Plant (VPP), your battery may be used to export energy to support the grid during certain events. That can change how full the battery is at different times and may affect how you prioritise backup versus bill reduction.

Not everyone wants a VPP. If you do, it is worth designing the system around how you want the battery to behave day to day, not just what the brochure promises.

A practical sizing workflow you can follow

1. Estimate evening and overnight usage using interval data if available.

2. Decide your primary goal: bill reduction, backup, or peak price management.

3. Check whether export limits apply and how often you export solar today (if you already have solar).

4. Confirm your solar system has enough excess to charge the battery reliably across seasons.

5. Choose a battery size that will cycle regularly without being empty by early evening most days.

If you want to sanity check a recommendation, ask the installer to explain what the battery will look like on a typical winter weekday. That answer is often more revealing than a summer output estimate.

Battery lifespan, degradation and warranties

Batteries slowly lose capacity over time. This is normal. The key is understanding what the warranty actually covers and how that lines up with your expectations.

Warranties commonly include a time period and a throughput or cycle limit, plus a minimum remaining capacity at the end of the warranty period. These details matter more than marketing phrases like “long life”.

When comparing battery sizes, remember that a battery that cycles hard every day may reach its throughput limit sooner than a larger battery doing lighter daily cycles. Again, the goal is a size that matches your real usage and the way you plan to operate the system.

Questions to ask before you sign

· What is the usable capacity, not just the headline capacity?

· What is the continuous power rating and what loads will it support?

· Is the system designed for backup, and if so, what circuits are included?

· How will the battery behave in winter when solar production is lower?

· If I add an EV later, what changes would you recommend?

Clear answers are a strong signal you are dealing with proper system design rather than aone-size-fits-all approach.

Bottom line

The right battery sizeis the one that you will actually use most days. It should fill often enough to matter, discharge in a way that matches your household’s peak periods, and support your backup goals if that matters to you.

If you size the battery around real usage patterns, you usually end up with a system that performs well across seasons and still feels sensible years down the track.

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What Size Solar System Makes Sense for an Average Australian Household

Most people want a simple number

If you ask ten installers what the right solar size is for an average home, you will probably get ten different answers. Not because anyone is hiding the ball, but because household energy use varies wildly.

A retired couple in a small home might use most of their power in the evening. A family with someone working from home might have steady daytime loads. Add air conditioning, poolpumps, induction cooking, or plans for an EV and the “average” shifts again.

A useful approach is to start with a sensible baseline, then adjust based on how you use electricity and what you plan to do next.

A realistic starting point: a mid-sized system

For many Australianhomes, a mid-sized rooftop solar system is often a sensible starting point. Ittends to fit on a typical roof, covers a meaningful slice of daytimeconsumption, and keeps the design flexible if you add a battery later.

Instead of picking anumber off the internet, use this simple rule: size the system to match as much of your daytime demand as you can, without relying on exporting most of the energy to the grid.

Step 1: Use your bills, then go one level deeper

Your electricity bills tell you total usage, which is useful, but it is only half the story. What matters just as much is when the energy is used.

· If you have smart meter interval data, look at your weekday daytime usage (roughly 9am to 3pm).

· Look for regular loads: work-from-home equipment, fridges, hot water, air con, pool pumps.

· Check seasonal variation. Some homes use far more electricity in summer for cooling. Others spike in winter if heating is electric.

If you do not have interval data, you can still make a decent estimate by thinking about occupancy during the day and whether big loads can be shifted into solar hours.

Step 2: Roof reality check

Roof space and roofshape are often the hidden constraint. Two houses with identical bills mighthave very different roof layouts.

· Orientation: north-facing usually yields the mostannual energy, but east and west can match morning and afternoon demand well.

· Shading: a small shaded section can drag downperformance if the array is not designed properly.

· Available area: skylights, chimneys, setbacks, androof access paths reduce usable space.

A good design uses thebest roof areas first. It is usually better to place fewer panels in strong sunthan to cram extra panels into heavily shaded sections.

Step 3: Think about the grid, not justthe roof

In many parts of Australia, export limits apply. That means the network may cap how much solar you can send back to the grid at any moment.

Export limits do not stop you installing solar, but they do change the economics of going bigger. Ifa larger system frequently hits the export cap, extra panels may deliver diminishing returns unless you also add storage or shift loads into the day.

Common household profiles and what they tend to suit

These patterns are not rules, but they help you sanity check a system size recommendation.

· Daytime-heavy homes (work from home, kids at home, daytime air con): often suit a larger solar array because more energy is used directly.

· Evening-heavy homes (out all day, cooking and heating at night): often benefit from solar plus planning for a battery rather than simply adding more panels.

· High cooling loads: solar can align well if cooling runs during the day.

· Homes planning electrification (heat pump hot water, induction, reverse-cycle heating): sizing should include future loads, not just today’s bill.

Battery or no battery: size changes either way

If you are not adding a battery now, it is still smart to design as if you might. That affects inverter selection and how you allocate roof space.

A battery can increase self-consumption by shifting solar into the evening, but it is not magic. If your solar array is too small, there may not be enough excess during the day to reliably charge the battery. If the array is oversized, the battery may fill early and you are back to exporting.

A simple sizing method you can do at home

If you like a back-of-the-envelope approach, try this. It will not replace a proper design, but it helps you understand the scale you are aiming for.

1. Take your last bill and note the total kWh used.

2. Divide by the number of days on the bill to get average daily use.

3. Ask yourself what portion of that use happens during daylight hours. Many households land somewhere between 30% and 60%, depending on occupancy and appliances.

4. Aim to cover a large share of that daytime portion with solar.

For example, a homeusing 18 kWh per day might use 8 to 10 kWh during the day if someone is home, or only 5 to 6 kWh if the house is empty until late afternoon. The solar size that makes sense for those two homes will be different.

Why your tariff matters

Two households caninstall the same system size and see different outcomes because their electricity tariff differs.

·  Time-of-use tariffs: the value of shifting usage into the day can be higher, especially if peak rates are steep.

·  Low feed-in tariffs: exporting excess solar pays less, which can favour right-sizing or adding a battery later.

·  Controlled load hot water: some homes have off-peak circuits that change the daytime load profile.

If you are unsure what tariff you are on, check your bill or ask your retailer. It is one of the quickest ways to explain why a system recommendation makes sense.

Common upgrades that change the right solar size

Solar sizing should not be based on today only. A few common upgrades can increase electricity use quickly.

·  Heat pump hot water replacing gas or resistive electric hot water.

·  Reverse-cycle air conditioning used for winter heating.

·  Induction cooking replacing gas.

·  EV charging at home.

If any of these are on your horizon, it is often cheaper to size and design with them in mind now than to retrofit later. Even if you do not install extra panels immediately, planning roof layout and inverter capacity around future needs keeps your options open.

What “average” looks like in practice

Across Australia, it is common to see households choose a system size that fits the roof and their budget, often landing in a mid-range capacity. That mid-range is popular because it can cover baseline daytime loads and still leave room to add storage later.

If your usage is low and you are away during the day, a smaller system can still be worthwhile. If your usage is high, you may benefit from a larger array, but only if you can use a lot of the energy on-site or have a plan for storage and smart load control.

A quick checklist to avoid sizing regret

1.  Confirm your daytime usage pattern, even roughly.

2. Check whether your distributor applies export limits at your address.

3. Map the roof and shading before you commit to a systemsize.

4. Factor in near-term changes: EV, heat pump hot water,switching off gas.

5. Choose a design that prioritises self-consumption, not just maximum generation.

If you want a system that still feels right five or ten years from now, sizing it around your future energy plan is usually the difference.

Practical next step

A good installer will walk you through your usage data and the roof constraints and explain the trade-offs. A clear explanation is a good sign. A quote that jumps straight to “bigger is always better” usually misses the point.

Solar is a long-term asset. The best system size is the one that fits your life, your roof, and the way your local network works.

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