Fox Ess UK

Michael Zhu is the co-founder and current CEO of Fox ESS. Prior to establishing the company in 2019, he served as Sales Director at SolaX for over six years. Since launching Fox ESS, Michael has been instrumental in driving its global growth and innovation. In 2022, he was recognised as one of the “Top Ten Photovoltaic Influencers” by Energy Box, alongside industry leaders from LONGi, Tongwei Group, and Sungrow. Under his leadership, Fox ESS continues to push the boundaries of innovation through its dedicated R&D centre, helping to shape and develop the future of global renewable energy.

Like the majority of solar batteries in the UK market, Fox ESS batteries are primarily manufactured in China. The company is headquartered in Wenzhou, where its main production facility began operations in 2021. At the core of its innovation is the Fox ESS R&D centre in Wuxi, China, a central hub where hundreds of skilled engineers and technicians continuously work to refine and advance the Fox ESS product range. This commitment to research and development ensures that Fox ESS remains at the forefront of solar inverter and energy storage technology.

Yes, Fox ESS batteries are a good choice for homeowners looking for a scalable and cost-effective solar storage solution. Known for their reliability, long lifespan, and high energy density, Fox ESS batteries and inverters emphasise quality at an affordable price, making solar energy more accessible to a wider audience.

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The FoxESS Hybrid Inverter range offers 5 configurable working modes to suit different energy usage needs:

• Self-use (with Solar)

Priority: Load>Battery>Grid

The energy produced by your Solar PV System is used primarily for self-consumption. Any excess energy is used to charge your batteries, then exported to the grid.

• Self-use (without Solar)

Priority: Load>Battery>Grid

If there are no solar panels connected to your system, your battery system will prioritise your local load first. When your battery storage system is unable to support your home load, the grid will supply your home with power.

• Feed in Priority

Priority: Load>Grid>Battery

Ideal for those using an external generator as part of their system, any generated power is used to meet your home demand first, then exported to the grid. Any redundant power will be used to charge your Fox ESS batteries.

• Force Time Use

Priority: Battery>Load>Grid (when charging)

Priority: Load>Battery>Grid (when discharging)

This mode is useful for homeowners looking to benefit from time-of-use, and agile tariffs such as Octopus-Agile. The charging and discharging times can be set flexibly, so that users can charge their battery during off-peak hours at a reducd cost, and discharge their battery when their energy is most valuable.

• Back-up Mode

When Backup Mode is enabled, your system will automatically provide an Emergency Power Supply using energy from your solar panels or battery storage during a grid outage. Please note, battery storage is  required in order for this mode to be operational.

Yes, Fox ESS is recognised as a BloombergNEF (BNEF) Tier 1 Energy Storage Manufacturer. This recognition places them among the top global manufacturers within the energy storage sector, highlighting their leadership in product quality, technological innovation, market influence and financial stability. The Tier 1 status is a significant benchmark within the industry, reaffirming Fox ESS’s credibility within the industry. 

Yes, Fox ESS batteries and inverters are fully compatible with Octopus Energy, especially with smart tariffs like Agile and Flux.

To support dynamic pricing, Fox ESS has implemented two modes, Trigger Price Mode and Time Slot Mode, that allow for automation of Octopus Agile time-of-use charge settings. This smart integration allows homeowners to take advantage of lower electricity prices by automatically scheduling their Fox ESS batteries to charge and discharge based on Octopus’s dynamic pricing.

Trigger Price Mode allows users to set a target buy price. When the Octopus tariff drops below this defined threshold, the Fox Cloud software will automatically schedule a 30-minute force charge session during each qualifying time slot.

Additionally, the system can automatically trigger force discharging when the export price exceeds the user’s specified target, helping you buy low, sell high, and maximise savings.

Time Slot Mode lets users choose a fixed number of charge periods, anywhere from 1 to 10, using a simple dropdown menu. For example, by selecting 5 your system will automatically schedule five 30-minute grid charging sessions to align with the five cheapest half-hourly Octopus Energy rates for the following day. Again, Agile Export can be enabled for this option too.

All Fox ESS Batteries come with a standard 5 year warranty, however once your Fox ESS battery installation is successfully registered online you will activate a 10 year product warranty, and receive a certificate for verification.