Solar batteries cost more than a standard diesel generator, but they can provide backup power without producing greenhouse gas emission. When you add a battery backup to your solar panels, your home can run off of the solar energy you have stored in the event of a power outage.
Battery backup solutions are a terrific way to unlock the potential of your solar energy system. An Energy Storage System (ESS) is a solar battery backup system installed with your Forme solar panel system to keep your home powered, even during the event of a power outage.
But, is a battery backup like the Tesla Powerwall 2, Eguana LFP, LG Chem RESU, Q.HOME worth the money? Let’s dive into the reasons why a battery backup system is worth the investment, depending on your overall goals.
For those looking for energy independence, a battery backup solution is a significant investment.
Not many outage protection options
The other option that most homeowners consider is a generator. These are much cheaper but have two significant cons.
Battery backup options with your solar energy system provide accessible protection from the electricity grid. Plus, there are substantial incentives to help homeowners and businesses, like the 22% Federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) and the Self Generation Incentive Program (SGIP).
Because your solar energy system is only producing energy when there is sunshine, you still need to rely upon a backup power source like the utility company. Therefore, it isn’t possible to go completely off-grid without a battery backup option, even if you have a solar energy system installed. Even during a power outage event, your solar energy system will stop producing without a battery. If you are looking for a safe, no-hassle, and reliable way to avoid blackouts, you will need a battery backup solution with your solar panels.
The primary reason for getting a battery backup option is that it allows you to have protection during the event of a power outage. During the event of a power outage, either due to maintenance or natural disaster, a battery backup option can protect your home if a natural disaster were to create an extended period without power. Your solar panels can recharge your solar battery to ensure that your home continues to be powered.
After you go solar, you will be switched over to Net Energy Metering (NEM) billing. Regardless of your previous billing rate, when you get NEM, you will be placed on a Time-of-Use (TOU) plan. This billing plan is where your electricity rates are cheaper and more expensive during certain times of the day. When electricity is the most costly in the evening when your solar energy system isn’t producing, with a battery backup, your solar panels can store the electricity it generates during the day when electricity is the cheapest. And draw from it when electricity is most expensive, at night.
With a battery backup solution, you can store that energy to power your home at night or for later use instead of letting it go to waste.
Utility companies like Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric raise their rates every year and switch their customers to Time of Use billing. Electricity costs are rising every year, and the cost of energy is increasing continually. With a battery backup solution, you lock yourself into lower energy rates and avoid peak charges.
Even when your solar panel system is not producing power, your home will still run on stored energy from your battery. Check your utility company to see if you are on Time-of-Use billing. With solar battery storage, you can use less expensive solar energy that you’ve already generated and stored in your battery backup. Doing so will allow you to avoid electrical charges during more expensive rate periods.
Your battery backup solution will allow you to gain an even greater level of monitoring capabilities. With you installing solar panels for your home, you will see how much energy your solar panels produces at a given time. With a battery backup solution, you will be able to see how much your home both makes and uses in real-time. Like with your bank account, it is essential to see how much is coming in and going out. Battery backup solutions provide that level of information.
Learn more about solar batteries and how they work.
If your goal is to be energy-independent, you should consider a battery backup solution coupled with solar panels. Forme Solar energy systems paired with a solar battery keeps your home pulling far less electricity from the grid. This leads to lower fossil fuels being utilized to generate power, creating less pollution.
A battery backup doesn’t just help you avoid the usage of carbon-based fuels, but it also allows you to maximize your solar panel system’s potential. With a battery backup, you will again be using less or no electricity from the grid. You can be completely independent of the utility company and gain protection at the same time. By generating your clean energy, not only are you helping the environment, but your monthly electricity bill will also decrease.
Adding a battery backup solution is a smart investment for homeowners looking to get the most out of their solar panels. If you would like to learn more about battery storage or learn more about adding a battery to your solar energy system, contact us! Forme Solar handles the entire permit, installation, and activation process from start to finish so that you can enjoy all the benefits with zero stress.
Additional Solar Battery Backup Resources:
Solar Battery Backup Installation
Solar Battery Backup 101
Solar Battery FAQs
Solar Energy System Parts
There are two primary reasons that homeowners have historically opted for generators as a backup solution. First, they cost less upfront. Second, in the past, generators have been easy to find and set up at your home. You can frequently buy backup generators at home improvement stores, and some might not even need to be installed by an electrician.
However, backup generators come with several downsides. For one, you'll have to ensure you have the fossil fuel they require, which can be problematic during unexpected outages. Next, backup generators are large, loud machines that shouldn't run every day and require regular maintenance, meaning you only benefit from having them in the event of an outage. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, backup generators cause significant local pollution by burning fossil fuels, not the least of which is carbon monoxide, which has become a considerable safety risk with fossil fuel-powered backup generators.
On the other hand, batteries are more expensive upfront and require an electrician to install, but they solve most of the issues that can sometimes plague backup generators. When you pair batteries with solar panels, the sun powers them, keeping them charged as long as the sun keeps shining. Also, batteries are eligible for incentives like tax credits and rebates, which can significantly lower those upfront costs. Finally, there are no local emission concerns with solar & storage installations – they run entirely on clean, renewable solar power.
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