I am the Kat that Walks By Itself

Yeah, one of the reasons I kept putting off getting solar was because most of the easy-install options didn't include batteries; because of my CPAP machine, I absolutely positively wanted a battery so I could be self-sufficient in case of a power failure at night (so I could actually sleep instead of waiting for power to be restored). Fortunately, Powershop facilitated getting set up with a local installer who would (a) talk with me about my needs and wants (b) allow me to request what I wanted, and (c) would take care of everything, including the paperwork. Win!

Mind you, the battery was just as costly as all the panels.