Battery Storage Solutions
When going solar today, there are a few things to consider beyond just how many solar panels you need. It’s time to think about how battery storage can help you maximize energy savings and provide backup power to your home. You’ll discover how solar battery storage benefits you and your home. After all, it takes money, effort, and time to get your system running. You should be able to enjoy it to its fullest.
What Does Solar Battery Storage Do?
A battery storage system essentially serves as a backup to your solar system. If you have a grid-tied solar system, any excess energy goes back into the grid. However, with battery storage, it holds that extra energy instead, giving you access to power even if you lose electricity from the grid. Once your batteries are charged, any excess energy produced from your solar panels goes right back into the grid as before.
With California’s new solar policy, NEM 3.0, export rates are reduced when power is sent back to the grid. This makes it harder to save on energy costs with a stand alone solar system. With battery storage, energy can be used when peak demand for energy is high. This in turn saves you on costs by not having to draw power from the grid during times of the day where electricity is more expensive.Solar battery systems allow you to use solar produced power on your own terms and any excess energy can be sent back to the grid.
The Top 5 Benefits of Battery Storage
There are plenty of perks to having solar battery storage. This list only scratches the surface, but it includes some of the biggest “pros” to installing battery storage.
1. Renewable Energy Independence
In addition to helping you make better use of your solar energy, battery storage can give you greater control over your home’s power. When the utility grid goes down, a compatible, properly configured battery backup system can help keep selected areas and essential equipment in your home powered.
For homeowners in mountain and foothill communities, where unexpected power outages and utility power shutoffs can disrupt everyday life, having backup power can make a meaningful difference. A battery helps you prepare for interruptions, rely less on the utility grid, and maintain access to the power your household needs.
Have a Well Pump? Backup Power Matters.
Many homes in mountain and foothill communities rely on private wells for their water supply. When the grid goes down, a well pump that depends on utility electricity may stop working, too.
A compatible battery backup system may be able to keep your well pump operating during an outage, helping maintain access to water when you need it most. The system must be properly sized and configured to support the pump’s electrical requirements.
2. Less Carbon Footprint
The ability to “go green” is a big reason many choose to make the switch to solar energy. Solar is one of the best sustainable energy sources out there. The more you can rely on it and increase your self-sufficiency, the less of a carbon footprint you leave behind in the world. You’ll be reducing pollution and still meeting your own electricity needs.
3. Low Maintenance On Systems
Once you have your solar system installed and any battery storage systems online, there isn’t a lot more for you to do. They don’t require outside fuel, like generators, and they’ll be there and functional when you need them.
Beyond that, solar batteries have long lifespans. Some systems have decade-long warranties and last for thousands of cycles. Lithium-ion batteries, like the Tesla Powerwall, have a particularly long lifespan. Some batteries can last more than double what you’ll get from a generator, all while requiring little to no work on your end.
In addition to having low maintenance, Solar Maintenance Pros provides a Lifetime Labor Warranty on all our solar and battery storage systems. We check for performance issues with your panels and system, investigate and make repairs quickly to get you back on track.
4. Reduced Electricity Bills
Many people who opt to install solar systems do so with the hopes that they can pay less for electricity. Generally speaking, that’s true. Solar is a fantastic renewable energy source and it does reduce your electricity bills.
However, beginning April 13th, 2023, 100% solar production offset no longer helps California homeowners achieve energy savings.The coupling of solar and battery storage is needed because of the reduced rates for solar production. It is not possible to capture all available solar production without battery storage.
If you live in an area where utility companies charge more during certain parts of the day or times of the year, you can mitigate the extra cost with solar batteries. Use the energy stored in your batteries during peak times to reduce costs. A solar system must be properly sized and balanced with storage to ensure excess power in Spring and high-production months doesn’t escape to the grid at disconnected values.
Certain states will compensate you more for the energy your solar system feeds into the grid. But if you’re a California resident looking to go solar after April of 2023, will experience diminishing returns on the solar production they send to the grid during the peak months of sunlight (June, July, August). Store that in solar energy batteries instead. You can use it for your own power needs instead.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, there’s an abundance of reasons to install a battery storage system to make the most of your solar. It lets you use more of the solar power you produce throughout the day, reduces energy costs, and further separates you from the electric grid. If you’re going to go solar – go the whole way!
