Beat the Heat with Battery Backup

In Texas, particularly its bigger cities, power continuity is an issue. Hot summers make it difficult for utilities to keep up with the energy demand.

While ERCOT has an energy alert system in place for these locations, it doesn’t guarantee power continuity. Instead, ERCOT has scheduled power outages throughout the impacted areas.

Scheduled power outages are one way to help in an emergency, but it isn’t ideal for Texas residents, particularly in larger cities. If Texans have to forego their air conditioning in the sweltering heat or power to life-saving devices, it could cause health concerns. 

Residential solar paired with battery backup is one of the most cost-effective ways to prepare for the inevitable. It allows homeowners to decrease their reliance on the grid, which gives them power regardless of the grid’s situation.

Why Solar Homeowners Prefer Battery Backup Over Other Kinds of Generators

One of the biggest questions Texans looking for a backup option have is whether battery backup or generators are better. While both have their advantages, there are a few reasons why battery backup is the preferred uninterruptible power supply (UPS) for solar homeowners in San Antonio.

Here are a few of the reasons solar owners like battery backup:

1. Battery backup can use solar panels or utility generated power to charge them, which makes this storage option more versatile.
2. The fuel for battery backup comes from the sun, which is free and easy to come by in Texas.
3. The price of battery backup is decreasing.
4. More battery backup options are becoming available.

Together these advantages make battery backup a no-brainer for Texas homeowners with residential solar, which is why Texas residential energy storage is so common. Texas residential storage installations are among the highest in the nation.

The question for San Antonians isn’t whether to get battery backup. It is a question of what type of battery backup to get.

Which Battery Type to Use With Solar

Because battery backup has become a popular choice for solar homeowners, there are lots of battery backup options on the energy storage market. Some of these options have been improved, while others are new to the storage industry.

Which battery type to choose depends on the needs of the homeowner and what they value. Some want the next new thing, while others prefer well-tested technology.

In addition to varying technology types, there are differences in battery capacity. While everything is bigger in Texas, not everyone wants or needs a solar battery that can store the most energy possible. Some need portable battery backup power that they can take with them when they go hunting, camping, or feel the need for more backup power than a small, portable power bank. 

Adding Home Batteries to an Existing Texas Solar Array

Some people want home batteries, but for various reasons, they need to wait to add them. Solar homes that aren’t storage-ready can make adding home batteries a headache. While more Texas solar installers are ensuring their installations are compatible with home batteries, not all of them are yet at this level.

Making sure that your San Antonio solar installer offers the battery backup option that you want, will ensure a home battery is a possibility. Verifying the solar installation is storage ready also reduces costs associated with adding home batteries to your San Antonio solar home.

There are several different home batteries on the market. What home battery brand to use is a matter of opinion, but many prefer Tesla’s Powerwall as a form of “whole house” battery backup.