One day of energy, hour by hour.
Solar, a battery, your home and the grid all trade energy through the day. Move through the day below to see where your power comes from, and where it goes, every hour.
A day with solar and a battery 07:00
- Solar
- Generating (low)
- Battery
- Reserve · 10%
- Home
- Using medium
- Grid
- Supplying your home
Read this day as a table
| Time | Solar | Home | Battery | Grid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 00:00 | Not generating | Using low | Powering home · 29% | Not needed |
| 02:00 | Not generating | Using low | Powering home · 22% | Not needed |
| 04:00 | Not generating | Using low | Powering home · 16% | Not needed |
| 06:00 | Not generating | Using low | Reserve · 10% | Supplying your home |
| 08:00 | Generating (medium) | Using medium | Reserve · 10% | Supplying your home |
| 10:00 | Generating (high) | Using low | Charging · 20% | Not needed |
| 12:00 | Generating (high) | Using low | Charging · 50% | Not needed |
| 14:00 | Generating (high) | Using low | Charging · 85% | Not needed |
| 16:00 | Generating (medium) | Using medium | Full · 100% | Receiving your surplus |
| 18:00 | Generating (low) | Using high | Powering home · 93% | Not needed |
| 20:00 | Not generating | Using high | Powering home · 64% | Not needed |
| 22:00 | Not generating | Using medium | Powering home · 40% | Not needed |
Use the slider, or the arrow keys once it's focused, to move through the day. The written explanation below covers the same day, period by period.
00:00–06:00Off-peak
Overnight, the battery keeps your home running
Your panels produce nothing at night, but a charged battery keeps supplying your home right through the evening and into the night. Only once it reaches its reserve, often in the early hours of the morning, does your home draw from the grid, usually at lower off-peak rates.
06:00–10:00Shoulder
Morning, when solar starts to work
As the sun rises, your panels begin generating. Early output goes straight to whatever your home is using, such as the kettle, the fridge and hot water.
10:00–15:00Solar window
Midday, when you have more solar than you need
Around the middle of the day, your panels usually produce more than your home uses. That surplus charges your battery first. Once the battery is full, the rest is exported to the grid.
15:00–21:00Evening peak
The evening peak, when the battery takes over
From late afternoon, solar fades just as cooking, heating, cooling and entertainment ramp up. This is typically the most expensive time to buy grid power, so your battery now supplies the home.
21:00–00:00Off-peak
Night, still on the battery
A well-sized battery doesn't run flat at bedtime. It keeps supplying your home through the night, and the grid only fills in once the battery reaches its reserve. The next morning, the sun starts recharging it again.
See what your own day could look like.
Every home uses power differently. We design around your bills, your roof and when you're home, and we tell you what to expect.