Check if your home qualifies for a free battery
Homeowners with solar panels, or getting them, can apply. It only takes a few minutes.
The battery remains the property of the scheme owner. It is supplied and installed through the Free Home Battery Scheme, but the homeowner does not become the owner of the battery simply because it has been installed at their property.
That is deliberate, and it works in your favour: because the scheme owner owns the battery, the scheme owner is also responsible for looking after it.
Who is responsible for what
| Scheme owner |
|---|
| Owns the battery |
| Maintains the battery |
| Services the battery |
| Insures the battery |
| Replaces the battery where required |
| Manages end-of-life equipment |
| Arranges safe disposal or recycling |
A home battery without the ownership burden
The scheme owner takes responsibility for maintaining, servicing and insuring the battery, replacing it where required and arranging its safe disposal or recycling at the appropriate time.
You get the benefit of battery technology at your home without being responsible for owning and maintaining the equipment yourself.
Battery technology, without the upkeep
Homeowners with solar panels, or getting them, can apply.
Why does the scheme owner keep ownership?
The battery is part of a network of connected home batteries managed together to lower household bills, support the grid and strengthen energy security. Keeping ownership with the scheme owner means one organisation is responsible for the equipment’s performance, safety and upkeep across the whole programme. Read how the scheme works for the full picture.
Common ownership questions
Do I need to insure the battery?
The scheme owner is responsible for insuring the battery.
What if the battery needs replacing?
Where replacement is required under the programme, this is the responsibility of the scheme owner.
What happens at the end of the battery’s life?
The scheme owner is responsible for the appropriate removal, safe disposal and/or recycling of the battery when required.
What if I rent?
The scheme is currently open to homeowners only, but renters can join the waiting list. If it opens to rented homes, the same would apply: neither you nor your landlord would own the battery, and your landlord’s approval would be needed before installation. See batteries in rented homes.
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