Your friend in Penang tells you how fantastic his solar system malaysia setup is and how much money he saves and how much sun he gets. This makes you want to acquire one too. You nod politely, but you worry, “Will I be able to get a battery to keep things running at night or during one of those famous TNB blackouts?” It’s time to go behind the curtain and see if battery options are everywhere or just a few rare birds in the solar environment.

Let’s start with the market. You can buy well-known batteries like Tesla’s Powerwall, BYD, Huawei, and Sungrow, all of which include lithium-packed grids. These brands are all over the websites of solar suppliers in Malaysia, and they are all over the place. Most solar companies in the area have “battery-ready” options, but do they actually sell out quickly? Not really. Most homes still use grid-tied solar, though. No batteries, no worries, just panels making hay while the sun shines.

This is the reason. You won’t believe how inexpensive the costs are. A small lithium storage system will cost you between RM13,000 and RM25,000, which is sometimes as expensive as the panels themselves. Because of the price and Malaysia’s mostly steady power system, batteries don’t always make sense. If you don’t lose power very often, spending as much on batteries as on your solar panels could feel like buying a pool in a storm.

But keeping batteries has many perks. If you live in a rural region or run a business that needs a regular supply, like aquaculture or small cold storage, solar-plus-storage moves from “nice to have” to “must-have.” People who desire batteries go there. There will also be early adopters in cities who wish to benefit the environment or show off their tech talents.

Will more people use it? Yes, but it will take time. Prices are going down slowly, but battery technology is changing swiftly. Right now, government incentives are like gentle whispers, but they could turn into loud yells at any time.

So, do a lot of solar systems here have batteries that can be stored? Yes, in theory. Most families still don’t utilize them, letting the panels do most of the work. You can buy it if you really want it and don’t mind paying a lot. Batteries are ready to go if you desire solar power after dark. But the sun will definitely come out again tomorrow. Just be ready to pay for the privilege… You are lucky if you are reading this five years from now!