Why Every Solar Home Needs Energy Storage

Solar ads often portray solar power as the hero during a power outage. However, the truth is a bit more specific: without storage, solar panels aren’t helpful to homeowners in a power outage, so it is storage that is the root of the solution itself.

Homes with solar often have net metering. Net metering allows homeowners with solar to put their excess electricity on the grid for others to use. The customer’s electricity bill then receives as a credit, so they don’t have to pay as much for the power pull off the power grid at night.

Solar homes don’t produce power when the sun isn’t out, and they can’t store it on their own, which is why net metering has become so popular. The problem is that the NEC 2017 solar updates require an automatic shutdown on the modular level. Now, only homes with some form of energy storage can access power during an outage. 

Solar Homes With Battery Backup

Battery backup solves the problems associated with residential solar. It stores excess solar power for later use, which allows solar to increase savings lost when utilities credit excess solar at a lower rate than customers pay for utility-generated electricity. 

Battery backup gives off-grid homeowners another reliable energy solution. It increases the homeowner’s independence without sacrificing the luxuries electricity offers.  

Battery backup also gives grid-tied solar homes access to power during outages. These homes can continue to function for hours or days, depending on the battery-backup option selected and the amount of energy used.

Grid-tied Solar Homes With Battery Backup

Although most people think solar and battery backup gives them complete independence from their electric company, this often isn’t the case. Solar homes with battery backup stay grid-tied for a couple of reasons.

The Expense of Disconnecting 

The first reason solar homes are typically grid-tied is that adding enough storage to power a home without the grid is expensive. Utilities often also have high termination or exit fees, so customers are deterred from disconnecting.

Added Security of Being Grid-tied

Solar homeowners also tend to stay connected because the grid provides added security. If the solar array or battery doesn’t function properly or the array isn’t large enough to cover all of the customer’s energy use, the grid can pick up the slack because of exported, surplus solar energy.

Residential Solar, Off-grid Solar and Battery Backup 

Off-grid solar is a pipe dream for most homeowners. However, if the home is in an area that is already off-grid, an off-grid system is possible. While these systems are more expensive, they are cheaper or comparable to adding powerlines, which makes off-grid solar appealing for homes in remote locations.

Battery Backup Types and Purposes

One of the things that most Americans value is independence. While solar promises this, it can’t be fully realized until customers invest in an energy storage option.

Battery backup options have increased over the years. These options allow homeowners to choose how independent they want to be.

They can get batteries that are large enough to power their entire home. Or they can get smaller portable batteries that allow them to power essentials in the house or on the go.

Whole House Battery Backup Power

Whole house battery backup or home batteries are large rechargeable batteries that power most or all of the home for several days. There are several different home batteries on the market right now that are capable of whole house backup, and the Tesla Powerwall is the market leader. However, one should note it sometimes takes 2 Powerwalls to successfully backup a whole home.

Emergency Battery Backup Power

Emergency battery backup power only stores enough solar power to ensure the necessities run during an outage. These batteries are often portable, so they can easily move within the home or the go. This battery backup option is attractive to homeowners with fewer power needs or a smaller budget, making solar storage a viable option for more people.

Go Solar Group’s Battery Backup Options

At Go Solar Group, our focus has been solar storage options for residential installs. We know that home battery backup isn’t an option for everyone, but that it is a necessity for solar homes to function at their peak energy efficiency.

As a result, Go Solar Group has specialized in solar backup options. These solar backup options allow our customers to have access to solar storage no matter what size their pocketbooks.

To give our customers the best options and make sure we comply with the NEC 2017 rapid shut down requirements, we have updated our backup levels. Now, each level includes battery backup; we offer three levels of battery backup. 

Level 1 Battery Backup: Power the Basics

The first level of battery backup allows customers to power their basic needs. It includes a Goal Zero lithium-ion battery and the Goal Zero Boulder Panel, which is a single but portable panel, so you can charge your battery while outdoors or camping.

 Level 2 Battery Backup: Increase Your Reach

The second level of battery backup gives solar customers the option to expand their storage capacity without having to invest in a home battery. This option comes with all the same features as level one, but it also includes up to four lead-acid battery extensions, also known a the Yeti Tank Expansion Battery.

 Level 3 Battery Backup: The Tesla Powerwall

The third level of battery backup offered at Go Solar Group is the Tesla Powerwall. This home battery can power an entire home. If enough Powerwalls are purchased, these batteries can power a home for several days before they need to recharge.