For homeowners looking to go solar, an increasingly popular option is installing a grid-tie solar system with a battery backup. This complex, hybrid option allows for the excess energy produced by the solar panels to be stored in a battery for later use. If the battery has reached its capacity, the energy is sold back into the grid, as it would in a normal grid-tie solar system.
With a grid tie + battery backup, you still get all of the benefits (fixed costs, ability to sell back energy, increased home value, etc.) of an ordinary grid-tie solar system.
This is the biggest difference when you add a battery backup system to your solar setup. If the grid goes down, your stored energy can still be used to power your home.
Smart batteries can be utilized to maximize your electricity bill savings. With load shifting, you can power your home with stored energy produced during the day, rather than using grid-supplied power at night.
Solar batteries and the extra hardware associated with storing solar energy is relatively expensive if you are turning to solar to cut overall electricity costs. Although you will save money overtime, the high start up costs can be a daunting hurdle.
If a grid failure lasts for multiple days, you will be relying fully on the power generated from solar each day. Although the system is sustainable, you may run out of power on a cloudy day when the entire neighborhood comes over to charge their electronics.
Every grid tie + battery backup solar system is installed with a monitoring platform to help the homeowner understand what is happening within the system. Able to be viewed on a phone or tablet, the monitoring system displays the amount of power being generated by the solar panels, the level of battery storage, the overall electricity usage of the home, and the amount of power being pulled from the grid. The interface makes it easy to understand some of the most sophisticated technology available in residential electricity.
Are you interested in a grid-tie solar system with a battery backup? Contact Us today for a fully customized system design.