As the popularity of solar energy increases, so does another sustainable energy solution: solar batteries. Have you just installed solar for the first time? Maybe you’ve had a solar energy system for some time now, and are contemplating installing a solar battery. You may just be wondering why you would need one. Produced by innovative companies like Tesla, Solar batteries are becoming increasingly necessary. It is typically recommended that solar batteries are installed alongside any new solar system. This ensures you get the most from your investment. Any extra solar power (not used during peak times) is stored for later use.
To fully appreciate why you should choose a solar system with storage, you will need to first understand how a standard solar PV system functions.
Typically, the standard solar system includes solar panels, an inverter, mounting equipment and a monitoring system. The monitoring system feeds you back electricity production and usage. Your solar panels use the sun to convert energy into electricity. This is then passed through the inverter and converted into a form of energy that can power your home.
Most residential solar systems are connected to the main electricity grid, and when your panels produce more electricity than your home needs, the excess energy is fed back into the power grid. On the other hand, when your home needs more energy than your solar panels are producing, you are able to draw from the power grid.
Solar batteries store energy generated by your solar panels for later use. The higher your battery’s capacity, the more energy it can store.
When you install a battery as part of your solar energy system, you’re able to keep the excess energy produced by your panels. Without a solar battery, your excess energy is sent back to the grid. When your home isn’t using the excess energy, it charges your battery. Conversely, when you require more energy than is produced, you can draw upon your saved charge. This way, you’ll only send electricity back to the grid when your battery reaches its full capacity. In return, you’ll only draw electricity from the grid when your battery is fully depleted.
Basically, this means that homes with ‘solar-plus-storage’ can store excess power onsite for later use, perhaps a time when the sun is limited. Solar batteries also act as a backup energy source when there is a power outage event in your area.
Solar batteries improve the economic efficiency of your solar panels. Blackouts become a thing of the past. You can even become fully self sufficient, depending on your energy usage and battery size.
To learn more about maximising the return on your solar energy investment, read our blog here.
Interested in installing a solar battery? Request a call back from our team.