Are solar power batteries worth the investment? For many homeowners, the answer is a resounding yes. Solar batteries are most beneficial to those who live in areas that suffer frequent power outages and have access to solar energy. They cost more than a standard diesel generator, but they provide backup power without producing greenhouse gas emissions. When you add a battery to your solar panels, your home can run off the solar energy it has stored in the event of a power outage.
To understand how solar batteries work, it's important to know that when solar panels produce more electricity than your home needs, the excess electricity is sent to the grid. However, when solar panels are combined with a household battery, that excess electricity goes to the battery instead of going to the grid. This stored energy can then be used during a power outage or when electricity rates are high. There are many different types of batteries on the market, but most residential systems use lithium-ion batteries.
You'll also need a decent solar inverter that's efficient and has enough capacity to support your offline system. And because your battery is powered by free solar energy, you won't have to spend tons of money on gasoline to power a traditional generator. The amount of labor required to install your battery system will also affect the price of installing a home solar battery. Waiting 2, 3, or 4 years for batteries to be affordable means another 2, 3, or 4 years of high bills.
However, in practice, the higher energy prices rise, the more solar power tariffs increase (which is paid for exporting excess solar generation to the grid). Because one battery can't power the entire house, you may need to install a subpanel so that only the most important things in your home are backed up by the battery during a power outage. Whether you're installing a new solar energy system or already have one, solar energy battery storage can help you get the most out of your systems. More than 10 million people come to EnergySage every year to learn, buy and invest in solar and household batteries.
