Emergency Backup Powerfor Scottish Homes

Power cuts in rural Scotland can last hours or even days. A home battery with EPS keeps your lights, heating, fridge, and internet running automatically — no generator, no fuel, no noise.

Why Rural Scotland Needs Backup Power

If you live in a rural area, you already know. When a storm hits and the power goes out, you're waiting on SSEN to fix overhead lines that serve a handful of properties — and you're not top of the priority list.

Multi-Day Power Cuts

Rural properties on overhead lines are vulnerable to storm damage. SSEN data shows that parts of Central and Northern Scotland regularly experience outages lasting 12 hours or more, with some stretching to several days during severe weather.

Everything Stops

No lights. No heating — even gas boilers need electricity for the pump, controls, and ignition. Your fridge and freezer start to thaw. Your internet goes down. If you work from home, you can't work.

Battery Backup Fixes This

A home battery with Emergency Power Supply (EPS) detects the outage and switches to stored power in under a second. Your home keeps running. If you have solar panels, the battery recharges during the day — extending your backup indefinitely.

How Emergency Backup Power Works

1

Grid Goes Down

A power cut hits your area. Normally, everything in your house goes off immediately.

2

Battery Detects the Outage

Your battery's EPS system detects the loss of grid power and automatically isolates your home from the grid. This happens in around 20 milliseconds — faster than a light can flicker.

3

Your Home Switches to Battery

The battery takes over, powering your home from its stored energy. Your lights stay on, your fridge keeps running, your boiler controls stay live, and your WiFi stays connected.

4

Solar Recharges (If Installed)

If you have solar panels, they continue generating during the day and recharge the battery — even while the grid is down. This can extend your backup from hours to days.

5

Grid Comes Back — Automatic Reconnection

When the grid is restored, the system automatically reconnects and resumes normal operation. No manual intervention needed.

What Stays On During a Power Cut

Depending on whether you choose whole-home backup or a critical circuits setup, here's what a battery keeps running while your neighbours are in the dark.

Lights

LED lighting throughout your home uses minimal battery

Heating Controls

Gas/oil boiler pump, thermostat, and ignition stay powered

Fridge & Freezer

Keep your food safe — no more throwing away a freezer full of food

Internet & WiFi

Stay connected — essential for remote workers and keeping in contact

Backup Power Systems We Install

Tesla Powerwall 3

The premium choice for whole-home backup. 13.5kWh capacity with backup included as standard — no optional extras needed. When the grid goes down, every circuit in your house stays live.

  • Whole-home backup as standard
  • 13.5kWh capacity, scalable to 40.5kWh
  • Integrated solar inverter
  • Storm Watch — pre-charges before severe weather

GivEnergy with EPS

A flexible, cost-effective option. Choose between whole-home backup or a dedicated critical circuits board that protects only your essentials — stretching your battery runtime further.

  • EPS available as add-on module
  • Whole-home or critical circuits — your choice
  • Excellent app and monitoring
  • Can be retrofitted to existing systems

Battery Backup vs Generator

Battery Backup
Generator
Switchover Time
~20 milliseconds
Minutes (manual start)
Fuel Required
None
Petrol or diesel
Noise
Silent
60-80 dB
Maintenance
None
Regular servicing
Saves Money Day-to-Day
Yes — solar storage & smart tariffs
No
Indoor Safe
Yes
No — carbon monoxide risk
Automatic
Fully automatic
Usually manual

Why Choose Mackie Electrical

Certified Installers

Tesla Certified and GivEnergy approved. NICEIC registered with full electrical certification for every installation.

We Know Rural Scotland

Based in Aberfoyle, we understand the challenges of rural properties. We install backup power systems throughout Stirling, Perth, Falkirk, and the Trossachs.

Complete Service

From initial survey to DNO notification, we handle everything. One quote, one team, no subcontractors.

Frequently Asked Questions

How quickly does the battery switch on during a power cut?

Systems with EPS (Emergency Power Supply) functionality switch to battery power automatically — typically within 20 milliseconds. That's fast enough that most appliances won't even notice the grid has gone down. Your lights stay on, your fridge keeps running, and your internet stays connected without you having to do anything.

Can a home battery power my whole house during a power cut?

It depends on the system. Tesla Powerwall 3 provides whole-home backup as standard — every circuit in your house stays live. With GivEnergy, you can choose either whole-home backup or a dedicated critical circuits board that powers only your essentials (lights, fridge, heating controls, internet). We'll advise on the best setup based on your property and how long you need backup to last.

How long will my battery keep the house running during an outage?

A typical 13.5kWh battery (like the Tesla Powerwall 3) can power essential circuits for 12-24 hours depending on usage. If you have solar panels, the battery can recharge during daylight hours — meaning you could theoretically run indefinitely during a multi-day outage in summer. In winter, solar generation is lower, but the battery will still extend your backup significantly. You can also stack multiple batteries for longer runtime.

Will my heating work during a power cut with a battery?

Gas and oil boilers need electricity to run their controls, pumps, and ignition — so they go off during a power cut even though the fuel supply is fine. A battery with EPS keeps those electrical components powered, so your heating continues to work. Electric heating systems can also be supported, though they draw more power and will drain the battery faster.

Do I need planning permission for emergency backup power?

No planning permission is needed for a standard home battery installation in Scotland (unless you're in a listed building). The battery itself is installed in your garage, utility room, or on an outside wall. We handle the DNO notification (G98 application) as part of our service — there's no additional cost or delay for backup power functionality.

Can I add backup power to an existing battery system?

In many cases, yes. If you already have a GivEnergy system, EPS functionality can often be added retrospectively with an EPS box. Tesla Powerwall includes backup as standard, so if you have one it may already be configured for it. We can assess your existing setup and advise on what's needed.

How much does emergency backup power cost?

The cost depends on whether you're installing a new battery system or adding backup to an existing one. A new battery system with EPS starts from around £4,000-£6,000 for a standard setup, with 0% VAT currently available until March 2027. Adding EPS to an existing GivEnergy system is significantly less. We provide free, no-obligation quotes tailored to your property.

Is battery backup power different from a generator?

Yes, and in most cases it's a better solution. A battery is silent, requires no fuel, produces no emissions, starts automatically in milliseconds (vs. minutes for a generator), and needs virtually no maintenance. It also earns you money the rest of the time through solar storage and smart tariff savings — a generator just sits there costing nothing until you need it, then costs fuel to run.

Stop Worrying About Power Cuts

Get a free survey and quote for emergency backup power. We'll assess your property, recommend the right system, and handle everything from installation to DNO notification.

0% VAT available on all battery storage installations until March 2027