What Are the Benefits of a Solar Energy Storage System?

A solar energy storage system adds power backup and other benefits to a home solar system. There are a number of options for mechanical storage, including batteries.

The worthiness of adding a battery to your solar system depends on your unique energy needs and goals. Let’s explore some of the benefits of solar-plus-storage together.

Decentralization

A solar energy storage system helps balance electric loads by storing surplus generation at times when demand is low (such as after sunset or on cloudy days) for use when demand Solar energy storage system is high. This helps reduce over-production, which can cause grid reliability problems.

In addition, batteries enable solar and wind energy systems to operate at optimal conditions at a time when electricity is needed, eliminating the need for expensive and unsustainable backup generation. This decentralized energy production helps reduce the overall cost of solar, while providing reliable power for all.

As solar + storage technologies continue to evolve, they’re becoming more affordable and accessible. Technological advancements in materials science, design optimization, and manufacturing processes have driven down costs. And as demand for clean energy continues to grow, economies of scale are driving down costs even more.

SEIA’s advocacy is helping to promote and accelerate the adoption of solar + storage at the federal, state, and local levels, ensuring that it’s deployed in sufficient quantities to achieve our energy and climate goals.

When you pair a solar energy system with an energy storage solution, it allows homeowners and businesses to participate in variable pricing utility rates that offer lower energy rates during the day, then higher rates during peak demand hours. This enables them to shift their consumption to those low-rate periods, further lowering energy costs and speeding up the payback period for their photovoltaic solar system.

More Energy Self-Sufficiency

When paired with solar panels, energy storage provides even more ways to make your home or building more independent of the grid. This is because the storage system allows you to pull electricity from it at times when your solar panels are not producing enough power (due to mismatch between generation and demand).

Additionally, storing energy from the sun in the battery can help reduce utility rates during peak demand hours when utilities charge high electric prices. This is especially beneficial if your utility company uses Time-of-Use tariffs that increase prices during peak demand periods.

If your solar PV system produces more energy than you can use, a battery can help you cut your utility bills further by saving the excess electricity for nighttime or cloudy days. Additionally, with net metering, you can send your unused solar power back to the utility grid and get credited for it on your next bill.

To expand access to green energy and hasten the shift to a sustainable future, solar energy storage must be marketed and sold effectively. Best practices include performing a thorough energy assessment, designing a specialized system that satisfies each client’s unique energy needs, and offering clear pricing. These strategies will help you market and sell solar energy storage to more people and create lasting customer satisfaction.

Reduce Your Reliance on the Grid

Energy storage is a key component of solar + renewables and provides a number of unique benefits for homeowners. Energy storage allows solar owners to control their energy consumption and use power at times when the sun is not shining, including nighttime and during grid outages.

Solar batteries also allow homeowners to maximize their utility rebates and credits, allowing them to reduce their electricity costs further. If their utility offers net metering, every kilowatt-hour of excess generation sent to the grid counts as credit for future usage. With a solar battery system, homeowners can store this excess electricity for later consumption and avoid paying retail rates to the utility during those peak demand times.

Without storage, balancing electric loads can be challenging for grid operators. To avoid over-generation and grid reliability issues, they may need to take some solar generation offline, or “curtail,” it. With storage, however, that electricity can be banked for later and dispensed during periods of high load or demand—even after the sun goes down.

In addition, many utilities offer time-of-use (TOU) pricing. With a solar energy storage system, homeowners can utilize stored electricity during the higher-priced TOU hours and rely on the grid for off-peak usage. This can help them manage the shift to TOU pricing and lower their overall energy costs.

Backup Power

A solar energy storage system is a backup power solution for your home, providing electricity in the event of a grid outage. It is possible to add battery systems to existing solar PV systems through an AC coupling process, but it 12v-starting-battery is important that a solar professional designs the new system and an experienced electrician installs the batteries.

Solar energy storage can also provide financial benefits by reducing the amount of time a homeowner draws electricity from the grid. This is especially beneficial if your utility company charges higher electric rates during peak demand times. By storing energy at off-peak times and pulling from the stored electricity during peak hours, you can save money and reduce your carbon footprint.

When paired with solar, battery storage can offer even greater energy self-sufficiency by eliminating the need to connect to the grid. This is particularly helpful in areas where the aging grid is vulnerable to outages due to weather or wildfires. It is important to assess your location and energy needs to determine the size of a battery that is right for you.

Standard solar PV systems switch off during a grid outage, protecting homes from power surges on nearby electricity lines. However, a solar energy storage system that is designed with backup power can continue to operate independently of the grid and provide power to your home during a blackout. This provides peace of mind that your family will not be without a power source and supports the transition to clean, renewable energy.