- 1Electricity arrives from the local distribution network.
- 2A shared battery charges during periods when power is plentiful.
- 3Control software decides when to charge and discharge.
- 4Connected homes draw stored electricity later in the day.
How a shared battery sits between the local network and the homes it serves. Text equivalent below.
01
Three models people call a 'community battery'
The phrase covers several very different arrangements, and they have different costs, permissions and resident implications. Being precise matters, because the model determines who owns the asset, who carries risk, and what a resident actually experiences.
- A single shared unit — one larger battery on a site, serving a block of flats or a cluster of homes through a shared connection.
- Aggregated home batteries — individual batteries in individual homes, coordinated together by software so they behave like one larger resource.
- Network-sited storage — a battery owned and operated by a network or a third party, sited to relieve a local constraint rather than to serve named households.
02
Why the distinction matters for social housing
A single shared unit usually needs space, planning consideration, a metering arrangement and a clear commercial route for sharing value with residents. Aggregated home batteries avoid the shared-connection problem, but require access to individual properties and a per-home install.
Kettle's prototype is built around coordinated smart batteries with central control. We do not use 'community battery' and 'home battery' interchangeably, and we will always say which model a specific pilot uses.
03
What is currently changing in the UK
Community batteries have gained policy attention as one route to using more of the electricity that the network cannot always move. Rules on shared metering, value sharing and consumer protection are still developing, so any scheme should be explicit about its regulatory position rather than implying settled arrangements.
For residents
You would not need to change supplier or manage anything day to day. The important questions to ask are who is responsible for the equipment, what happens if it stops working, and exactly how any saving reaches you.
For housing providers
The model determines your asset, procurement and resident-engagement work. Confirm siting, metering, maintenance responsibility and the value-sharing mechanism before scoping a pilot.
Assumptions and limitations
- Descriptions reflect arrangements visible in the UK market as at 30 July 2026.
- No specific saving is implied; savings depend on tariff, occupancy and the commercial model used.
Sources
- New proposals to cut bills with community batteries
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, 4 June 2026 - Battery storage advice
Energy Saving Trust, 15 July 2026
Where we are today