Store more of your own solar power with AlphaESS’s expandable VitaPower battery

Anyone with solar panels will face a new calculation from 2027. The net-metering scheme will end, making it more attractive to use the electricity you generate yourself. AlphaESS is responding with the VitaPower 3600 AC. This new home battery starts at 4 kWh, costs €999 during presale and can later be expanded to 16 kWh.

The VitaPower 3600 AC has been available to order in the Netherlands since this week. AlphaESS has opted for a low starting price and a modular design, so you do not have to decide straight away how much storage you will need in the years ahead.

### A home battery that can grow with your household

The main unit combines an inverter, a 4 kWh LFP battery and energy management in a single enclosure, forming a complete, ready-to-use system. If you need more capacity later, you can add VitaMate 4000 modules. Each additional module provides another 4 kWh of storage.

A single tower can therefore grow from 4 to 8, 12 or up to 16 kWh. According to AlphaESS, multiple independent VitaPower systems can operate wirelessly in parallel and be coordinated via the cloud, making total storage capacity of up to 48 kWh possible. What is technically feasible also depends on the home and its grid connection.

This modular approach makes the 4 and 8 kWh versions particularly appealing. Households can start small, monitor their actual solar surplus and evening consumption, and then decide whether it makes sense to expand.

### Plug it into a socket, but with an important limit

AlphaESS describes the VitaPower 3600 AC as a plug-in home battery. In its standard setting, its output is limited to 800 watts. The system can then be connected to a suitable grounded socket using the supplied cable.

However, the main unit supports much higher bidirectional charging and discharging power, up to 3,680 watts. This full output is not intended for an ordinary socket. To use it, a qualified installer must connect and activate the system through a suitable, dedicated circuit.

That distinction matters. The 800-watt mode offers a relatively simple way to get started. Anyone who wants to store a lot of solar power more quickly or supply a larger share of household consumption from the battery will need a professional installation.

### Smart use of solar power and dynamic tariffs

The supplied P1 dongle reads how much electricity the home is drawing from or feeding into the grid via the smart meter. When the solar panels produce more than the home is using at that moment, the VitaPower can store the surplus. Later in the day, the battery can supply that energy back to the home.

The AlphaESS Energy Life app lets users view the battery status, energy flows and historical data. The system also offers several smart modes. With a dynamic energy contract, for example, the battery can adjust charging and discharging to changing electricity prices.

AI Mode goes a step further. It combines energy prices, weather and solar forecasts, and the household’s consumption pattern. Based on this information, the system tries to select favorable times to charge and discharge. In the app, users can choose between Savings First and Balanced, and can also intervene manually if they wish.

According to AlphaESS, the basic local controls continue to work if the internet connection is temporarily lost. Online data, such as current prices and weather forecasts, will naturally be unavailable.

### Backup power in 10 milliseconds

In addition to storing energy, the VitaPower 3600 AC has a separate backup outlet. According to the datasheet, it switches over within 10 milliseconds during a power outage. The backup socket can supply up to 3,680 watts continuously, provided there is enough energy left in the battery.

This does not mean the battery automatically powers the entire home during an outage. Only devices connected directly to the backup outlet, or included in a backup circuit set up for this purpose, will keep running. How long they can run depends on the capacity selected, the remaining battery charge and the power consumption of the connected equipment.

AlphaESS uses lithium iron phosphate cells, better known as LFP or LiFePO4. This battery chemistry is widely used for home storage. The company states that the battery is rated for 10,000 charge cycles, has an intended service life of 15 years and comes with a ten-year warranty. The enclosure is rated IP65, and its specified operating temperature range is -20 to 55 degrees Celsius. Installation instructions must be followed when choosing where to place it.

### Why more and more home batteries are appearing now

Solar panels typically generate the most electricity in the middle of the day. Many households use more electricity in the morning and evening. While net metering remains in place, electricity fed back into the grid can be offset against electricity drawn from it later. That scheme will end on January 1, 2027.

As a result, storing self-generated electricity for later use will become more valuable. However, a home battery is not automatically a financially attractive option for every household. Potential savings depend, among other things, on annual solar generation, daytime surplus, consumption patterns, the energy contract, the feed-in rate, any feed-in charges, system losses and the chosen charging strategy.

Stating a fixed payback period would therefore give a misleading impression. Anyone considering a home battery should first check how much solar power they actually feed back into the grid and how much electricity they need from the grid at other times.

### AlphaESS VitaPower 3600 AC prices

The Dutch presale runs from September 22 through October 29, 2026. The listed prices include VAT but exclude any installation costs.

- **4 kWh:** One VitaPower 3600 AC for €999

- **8 kWh:** Main unit with one VitaMate 4000 for €1,798

- **12 kWh:** Main unit with two VitaMate 4000 modules for €2,597

- **16 kWh:** Main unit with three VitaMate 4000 modules for €3,396

The base version stands out in particular. For less than €1,000, you get 4 kWh of storage, P1 control, smart energy modes and a separate backup power outlet. At the same time, you retain the option to adjust both the capacity and the available output later.