The next generation of home battery backup is here. These battery storage units provide solar customers with clean, reliable, and efficient backup electricity. In turn, this reduces the need for more expensive and inefficient fossil fuel power, such as coal and natural gas. More and more people are looking for alternatives. Different battery storage systems linked to solar power are being hailed as a viable alternative to fossil fuels. Considering this and California’s archaic power grids, going solar and including a home battery backup system just makes sense.
If you are looking for intelligent batteries as a backup or want to improve your home energy storage, you are in the right place.
Interested in installing a solar system at home or integrating a battery backup solution into your existing system? There is no better time to learn about solar powered battery backup systems than now. Interested in a backup system for your home? Contact us for a quote.
Federal Tax Credits & Home Battery Backups
To qualify for investment tax credit (ITC), also known as the federal solar tax credit, customers on our renewable energy site must qualify. However, if you use solar energy without a connection to the grid, you may also consider home battery backups. If a homeowner switches to solar energy, they may want a solar battery backup as soon as possible.
Why Battery Backups?
When you add a spare battery to your solar system, it stores excess electricity generated during the day. This energy is used at night and provides back-up power in the event of a power failure. A total home battery backup can provide as much power as possible when your home needs electricity, whether during a grid-planned power outage or a sudden power outage due to natural disasters.
Battery Storage Units Provide Security
In the event of a power failure, the system automatically switches from the grid. It will then start to draw power from the backup battery system. If the power fails, your backup system can step in and supply power until your utility restores the main system.
When you connect your home battery to a solar system, it will refill as soon as the sun comes out. When you add it to your solar system, you can send it back to the grid and use every last drop of sunlight to power your home. With a battery backup, you can enjoy all the benefits of a grid-connected solar system while still having power in the event of power outages. Perhaps the best part—you still have the same reliability with the home battery backup as with a full-fledged power system.
Solar Backup Energy Options
If you want to prepare your home for an unexpected power failure, there are two readily available solutions. You can learn more about generators here, but here we will focus on the battery backup function of a lithium-ion battery, such as the Tesla Powerwall 2. Keep in mind, these batteries can easily pair with your residential solar panel system. If you have smart battery backups installed in your homes, you don’t have to worry about blackouts, power outages, or even a power failure itself. Lithium-ion batteries are so powerful that they can be coupled with solar cells and systems.
If you have home solar, you can use your home battery to store electricity and supply it to household appliances.
You can also get an emergency battery backup system to keep you off the grid when you need it. In the event of a power failure, your battery backup system will operate a certain safe space for you and your household appliances.
How Long Will My Battery Storage System Power My Home?
How long a battery storage system can supply your home with backup power depends on the size of the battery and the amount of power required. Depending on how economical you are with your power consumption, a typical household battery can last 1-2 days. Factors like cooling and heating your home can play big roles in how long your battery can power your home. For example, running a typical AC unit for 6 hours a day uses around 270 kWh of electricity per month. Your storage provider should help you estimate how long your battery should last during backup power operation.
If you want to decide which backup system best suits your home needs, consider how to use it and what it saves you. Depending on where you live, however, there are various options for different types of household batteries and backup systems.
Deciding on a Backup Battery System
If you have installed a grid-connected solar system or a backup battery system for your home, first you should determine whether you want to turn off the power during a power failure or at critical loads.
If your business or home already has solar panels, you should have no upfront costs for a backup battery. Usually, homeowners will install a 10 kWh home battery, but multiple batteries can be combined to add even more capacity. In order to cover your entire household energy consumption, you may require multiple batteries.
If you want to learn more about how NRG Clean Power can help you prepare for power failures and save you money, contact our solar experts now!
Authored by Ryan Douglas
NRG Clean Power's resident writer and solar enthusiast, Ryan Douglas covers all things related to the clean energy industry.
