The Best Backup Power Sources for an Outage
After a summer of extreme heat and strain on the Arizona electric grid, it’s more important than ever to have a reliable backup power source for your home. A backup power source will keep your family safe and comfortable during a power outage, and the peace of mind it provides is invaluable.
There are a few options when it comes to backup power for your home. We’ve found that solar with battery storage and/or whole-home generators are the best options for power outage protection in most cases.
Solar Panels with Battery Backup
On their own, residential solar panels generate power for your home so you can buy less from the grid and save money on your electric bills. When paired with solar battery storage, they become a personal power plant that can not only generate but also store electricity.
How Solar Batteries Work for Backup Power
Solar batteries work by storing the excess energy your solar panels produce during the day. The stored energy can be used to power your home at any time, including during a power outage.
Depending on how much storage you install, batteries can keep your essentials or entire home running for several hours before they need to be recharged. You can control what the stored energy is used to power and conserve it by prioritizing essentials like your refrigerator and wifi router.
Benefits of Solar Battery Storage for Backup Power
There are many benefits to using a battery storage system for backup power, especially if you have or plan to install solar panels.
Reliable Backup Power
Solar battery storage systems provide reliable backup power day or night so you can keep your essentials on during a power outage.
No Fuel Costs
There are no refueling costs associated with solar batteries—they are charged by your solar panels, which run on sunlight.
Electric Bill Savings
Batteries provide benefits that go beyond backup power. They can also be used to power your home with solar energy at night and help you avoid on-peak rates to keep your electric bills as low as possible.
No Fossil Fuel Use
Solar batteries do not use fossil fuels to run which makes them the most environmentally friendly choice for home backup power.
Eligible for Solar Incentives
Solar battery storage qualifies for the 30% federal solar tax credit!
Standby Generators
If you’re looking for whole-home backup power and don’t plan to install solar panels, we believe standby generators are the best option, although they can also be added to houses that have solar panels and we often include them in our off-grid solar installations.
How Do Standby Generators Work?
Generators are a backup power source that runs on fossil fuel—typically natural gas, diesel, or propane. Most whole-home generators can automatically detect a power outage and will switch on as soon as an outage is detected. They can be sized to power your entire home and can run continuously for several hours or even days.
Benefits of Generators for Backup Power
Reliable Backup Power
Generators provide reliable backup power for your home during a power outage and can run for long periods of time.
Fast Installation
Generators can be purchased and installed quickly.
More Affordable
Whole-home generators are more affordable to purchase and install than whole-house solar with backup power.
Find the Best Backup Power Source for Your Home
If the heat waves we’ve seen this summer have taught us anything, it’s the importance of reliable electricity. Power outages are inconvenient at any time, but during a heat wave, they can be downright dangerous.
SouthFace Solar & Electric can recommend the best backup power solution for your home, based on your specific needs and budget. We install solar plus battery systems and backup generators in Arizona and can design a custom system that gives you the reliable backup power you need to keep just your essentials or your entire home running during a power outage. We’ve been bringing more power to Arizona homeowners since 2008 and are proud to be a trusted local expert in solar battery and backup generator installation.
