A Case Study – Why battery storage installation makes sense and how Brimstone Energy makes it work
Is installing a battery in your home worth it?
That’s the question, right there!
It’s what we’re asked all the time. It’s what matters to you.
You’ve worked hard, you’ve saved, you’ve seen energy prices rising, but you need to know you’re doing the right thing. You need to know you’re putting your money in the right place.
We completely understand this at Brimstone Energy. We’ve been helping customers make the right steps towards low-cost energy for a good while now, so we know it can help to see others who have successfully made the step.
For Neal and Anna, from Barrington in Cambridgeshire, the right battery installation was needed to work with the energy needs of their Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP). Take a read of their experience of working with us at Brimstone Energy…
Tell us how your project started.
It’s fair to say our home could be described as a “project house.” Everything works, but everything will need changing – we’re keeping our eyes firmly on what it will be like in five years!
We moved to Barrington in 2023, having got married in the village over a decade before. Like a few of the villages around here, there’s no gas supply and we had an oil-powered boiler. Of course, this came with oil storage, changing prices, and some big decisions about future heating and energy.
The boiler was was old, inefficient, and in need of replacing. We had a choice: commit to a new boiler and storage, or get rid of it, save space in the garden and go for an ASHP.
ASHP it was.
This decision will have increased your reliance on electricity…
Exactly. An ASHP will always increase your use of electricity, so we’d already been thinking about how best save money over the long term.
Which led you to battery storage?
We had lots of chats about solar panels and battery storage. The question was which one, or both… and in which order.
We settled first on battery storage. We have an electric vehicle and knew about flexible energy tariffs, so were confident this would be the best first step to get us saving and using energy smartly.
How did you choose your battery storage?
Once we’d decided on battery storage, we needed to consider the size of the battery. You need to get the right equipment to meet your own energy needs.
We went for the 20 kWh Powervault AC-Coupled Battery, with the installation completed in December 2024. With our ASHP, we wanted to make sure we had enough storage to cover our usage throughout most days. At the same time, we didn’t want to overpay for a battery to store more than we need. The sizes of the Powervault batteries were right for us.
The battery also has a solar hybrid inverter in it, so any solar panels in the future can be plugged straight in without the need for any additional equipment.
And is the battery doing what you need it to?
Yes!
There are bigger companies than Powervault out there but working with them has worked out well for us. They clearly focus on “getting it right” and getting their equipment to do what they say it will. Brimstone are one of their approved installers, and they were out visiting Matt and the team during our installation, meaning we got a good look at how they work.
The smart technology works. We’re on the Octopus Intelligent Go EV Tariff and we can nicely schedule our usage on the Powervault web portal. We charge the battery during the night on the off-peak rate, and even though it’s cold out there, we’re generally not having to take from the grid during the peak times.
We’re making savings every day. And to top it off, it looks good and fits perfectly in our garage.
Did you face any barriers or obstacles?
Battery storage and solar panels will pay you back. That’s for sure.
But it’s a longer-term return and the money is tied up, so the challenge is having the money available at a certain time.
Because we had only recently moved in, we didn’t have a year of ASHP and household energy data to predict future costs and demand. I think there’s an opening in the market for an enhanced modelling tool to predict household energy use! At the moment, it can feel like a best guess.
We’re also planning an extension, so we needed to make sure the timing worked and anything we did would fit in with the next parts of our project.
What about Matt and Brimstone Energy, did they help with the barriers?
Absolutely… from start to finish.
Brimstone are very different to lots of the large national companies I spoke to. Other installers had a clear commercial edge to them, focusing on more of a hard sell of their specific products. I’d describe them as coming with their own solutions, rather than offering advice to suit us.
“…stop, look and listen.”
We needed someone to understand our bigger picture. Or as I put it, someone to stop, look and listen, making sure we found the best solution for us.
For us, that person was Matt. He didn’t come along pushing a certain product but shared his knowledge of all the options available. His approach and assessment of the project was personalised.
The approach sets Brimstone Energy apart. Other companies were inflexible and offered only their sponsored kit, where Matt discussed a range of options on the market. We then made our decision together.
Tell us about working with Brimstone?
The communication throughout was spot on, and Matt was responsive to all the questions we had.
Take the position of our battery as an example. We have 20 metres between the meter and the battery, which we were able to plan in from the beginning. By working with a company like Brimstone, there is more flexibility to make sure everything works first time.
It took them half a day to install – it was simple, especially for me. Beyond making tea and clearing space, I had nothing to do… although my wife was happy with my garage tidying, which I’d been putting off.
What’s next for you on your “project house?”
We’ve got an extension planned and a nice south facing roof to make the most of. At the same time as completing some necessary work on the roof, we’re going to get solar panels. These will integrate with the battery and let us make the most of free electricity and exporting back to the grid. I’ll be contacting Matt about the installation!
What advice would you have for anyone thinking about battery storage?
If you’re at the beginning of the journey, then get a range of opinions. It’s important to get yourself in a position to make your own decision, especially when you start speaking to installers.
Once you know you’re going to invest in low-cost energy, it’s useful to know you don’t have to do everything all at once. Like us, the project can come in parts. We started with the battery. Others may choose solar first and then add their battery second.
Shop around for the best installer. If you’re local to us, I’d recommend Matt and Brimstone. You want a team who don’t have an agenda in terms of the solution and equipment they’re pushing. We benefitted from Matt’s willingness to go over all the options available to us.
From Matt, Founder of Brimstone Energy
How great to read about your experience of working with Brimstone!
We’re pleased you landed on the right plan for your home – we’re even more pleased we had the privilege of helping to get you there. It’s brilliant to see the immediate savings coming from the battery installation, even over the winter when your Heat Pump will be most active and using the most electricity.
The project really shows how a battery can help you save money and future proof your home when you work with the right team.
While we’re not, “Homes Under The Hammer,” we’re definitely excited to see how our work fits into the bigger project of your family home.
Want to read a bit more?
Take a look at another battery retrofitting project we recently completed, this time where panels were already in place.
Or, if you’re a business, see how solar panels and battery storage can increase your profits.
For any advice or for a quote, get in touch. We’d love to hear from you.