How much a home battery and inverter can increase your electricity bill 

Installing a battery and inverter system without solar generation capacity in South Africa can lead to a significant increase in monthly electricity bills. Even during lower stages of load-shedding, recharging common lithium-ion battery sizes can substantially impact the electricity bill.  

The cost of a single recharge depends on the battery capacity and the electricity provider. For example, recharging a 1.2kWh battery can cost between R2.31 and R3.37 depending on the provider, while a 5.5kWh battery can cost between R10.60 and R15.44.  

When considering the frequency of load-shedding sessions, which vary depending on the stage, the monthly costs of recharging the batteries can escalate quickly. For instance, recharging a 1.2kWh battery under load-shedding from Stage 1 to Stage 4 can cost between R48.59 and R70.76 per month, while the costs for a 5.5kWh battery range from R222.68 to R324.32 per month.  

These costs are indicative and show the potential impact on electricity bills when relying on batteries during load-shedding. 

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