Even though solar batteries are a substantial investment, more and more homeowners are choosing to install them alongside their solar panels due to the great benefits they offer. Let's look at some of the benefits of solar batteries and try to figure out if they are a worthwhile purchase for your home.
What is a solar battery?
Solar batteries are becoming increasingly popular with homeowners, with many brands to choose from such as the Portable Power Station from Ecoflow. There solar battery it is connected to solar panels in order to absorb excess energy that the house does not use. The stored energy can be used when the sun isn't shining, without having to tap into the electricity grid.
How much do solar batteries cost?
There are several makes and models of solar batteries to choose from, and their cost ranges from $900-1200 per kWh. Typically, home batteries need to store a large amount of kWh to be practical, such as the LG Chem Prime with 16kWh storage capacity.
How do solar batteries work?
With a typical grid-tied solar panel system, whenever your solar panels produce more electricity than your home uses, the extra electricity is sent to the grid.
When you install a solar battery, you can store excess solar electricity instead of sending it back to the grid. This way you can use the stored energy later in the day when your solar panels aren't producing enough electricity to meet your home's energy needs.
What are the advantages of solar batteries?
If you are thinking of combining solar panels with an energy accumulator, here are some of the advantages you can get with a solar battery.
Energy independence
When you install a solar battery, you no longer have to depend on an electric company. This is great news, especially if you live in an area with frequent blackouts. A solar battery will keep your lights on and your phones charged, even when your neighbors have no power. Normally, solar panels stop producing electricity when the power goes out to avoid feedback to the grid. But when you add a battery to your solar system, the solar panels continue to power your home and charge the battery, even during a power outage. A solar battery gives you the peace of mind of knowing that even when the electricity grid fails, your energy will always be active.
Reduce your carbon footprint
When you install a solar battery, you can use all the clean solar energy produced by the panels. If solar energy isn't stored in a battery, you end up having to draw energy from the grid, which is usually produced using fossil fuels. This means that your home will run on dirty energy, while you can power it with the clean energy it has stored. So, if your primary reason for installing a solar system is your desire to be eco-friendly, pairing your solar system with storage is the best way to ensure your home maintains a small carbon footprint.
Silent reserve energy
As we've already said, solar batteries provide you with backup power when the power grid goes haywire. Unlike conventional gas generators, which many people use during extended power outages, solar batteries do not produce any noise. This means you can benefit from instant, reliable power without the noise and air pollution of gas generators. You also don't have to worry about getting the fuel to power a solar battery, which can be expensive and time-consuming. You can simply sit back and relax while the solar panels continue to charge the battery.
Savings on electricity bill
Installing a solar battery helps you save on your electricity bill. However, the size of the savings varies depending on the type of net metering your provider offers. With net metering, your utility will give you a credit on your electric bill for the excess solar energy you send to the grid to offset some of your future energy costs. If the operator has a net metering system, installing a solar battery does not make much economic sense. However, if the utility charges time-based rates, then a solar battery makes more financial sense. With time-based rates, the price of electricity varies depending on the time of day. If you have a battery, you can choose to use the stored energy when electricity is more expensive, thus saving on your bill.
Is a solar battery right for your home?
Solar batteries are a great investment for homeowners who live in areas that experience frequent power outages or where utility companies don't offer a comprehensive net metering system. They're also the best way to maximize the amount of renewable energy your home uses. Remember that solar batteries are functional especially if you have a long-term project. A lithium ion solar battery may cost you money but the savings you get over the years are unmatched. For this reason, for most homeowners who live in remote and electrically unreliable locations, not using a solar battery can be uneconomical if instead you choose to combine it with your system, it can really be worth it .
However, the cost of solar batteries is decreasing and is expected to decrease further in the future. Hopefully, a further drop in price will make batteries affordable no matter where you live. For now, however, batteries are more suitable for homeowners who live in areas where the electric grid is unreliable, who do not receive a net metering system for retail or who are looking to substantially reduce the own carbon footprint.
