Top Solar Battery Questions—Answered!
If you’ve heard about the benefits of solar battery storage and are thinking about adding one to your home, you probably have a few questions about how energy storage works and why it’s worth the investment.
SouthFace Solar & Electric is a leading solar battery installer in Arizona, and we’re here to help you understand this impressive technology. Keep reading for answers to the most common questions we hear about solar battery back up power for Arizona homeowners.
How do solar batteries work?
A solar battery is kind of like a generator—it sends power to your home when the electric grid is down. But unlike a generator, solar batteries don’t run on fossil fuels like propane or natural gas. Instead, they run on stored solar energy.
During the day, your solar panels will typically produce more electricity than you need to power your home. In a traditional solar panel system, the excess energy your panels produce would either be sent to the electric grid, or it would go to waste. With a solar battery, you can store excess solar energy and draw on it when the sun isn’t shining, during peak demand periods, or during a power outage.
Can a solar battery power your house during an outage?
Yes! A solar battery can power your house during an outage.
Residential solar panels don’t provide back up energy on their own, and all grid-tied solar systems are automatically turned off during a power outage to protect utility workers from unexpected power surges. If you have a solar battery, however, your solar panel system can continue to operate while disconnected from the grid. So, during the day, you’ll be able to generate electricity with your PV panels while the power is out while at night you can rely on power from your solar battery backup.
How long can a solar battery power your home?
The amount of power a battery storage system can provide depends largely on size. Some solar batteries have the capacity to power small appliances and essential loads like your refrigerator for a few hours at a time. Larger battery systems can power your entire home for extended periods of time. SouthFace Solar & Electric can help you decide how much backup power you need and recommend the right size battery or batteries for your home.
What are the benefits of solar battery backup?
Installing solar panels and back up power for your home has a lot of benefits, and SouthFace Solar & Electric can help you take advantage of them all!
Benefits of solar batteries include:
- Power for your home during an outage
- Access to solar power at night and on cloudy days
- Avoiding demand response charges by switching to battery power
- Using more of the renewable energy your solar panels generate
- Qualifying for solar battery incentives
Do solar batteries save you money?
Installing a solar battery can help you reduce your electricity costs even more than with solar panels alone.
Solar panels only work when there is sunlight available, which means solar power users have to rely on grid-generated electricity later in the evenings during peak demand periods, at night, and on especially cloudy days. Electricity rates tend to be higher in the evenings, which means you’re likely paying even more for electricity during these times.
With a solar battery, you can save the excess solar power that your panels generate during the day and use it to power your home at night, on a cloudy day, or during demand response times. This reduces your reliance on the grid and helps you save money on electricity.
What types of solar battery storage are available?
There are several types of solar batteries available, with options for partial or whole-home backup and different chemistries from lead acid battery to nickle-iron, to lithium ion batteries. SouthFace Solar & Electric installs solar batteries from top brands like LG Energy RESU, Iron Edison, Blue-Ion and more. We can help you decide what type of battery storage is the best fit for your needs.
Are there incentives for solar batteries in Arizona?
Wondering about solar battery tax credits and incentives? We have good news! Through the APS Solar Battery Pilot, APS customers can earn a solar battery incentive worth up to $3,750. Solar batteries can also qualify for the federal solar tax credit. The solar tax credit is in its last few years and will be reduced in 2023 before being eliminated for residential solar in 2024, unless this tax credit is extended. The sooner you schedule your solar plus battery storage installation, the more you stand to earn through solar incentives.
