Many U.S. homes experience blackouts almost daily, if not hourly. According to PowerOutage.US, the states with the most blackout experiences are Pennsylvania and Kentucky. Here in California, the stats aren’t flattering either with over 6500 cases of outages as of the time of writing.

With today’s generation heavily reliant on electrical appliances and services, losing electricity can essentially grind daily living to a halt.

That’s one of the reasons solar energy is such an attractive alternative. Like clockwork, the sun comes out every day. With a good solar battery backup system in place, you can power through outages even when the sun is no longer shining for the day.

Solar battery backup systems are essential during power outages

Not every solar power assembly includes a solar battery. In fact, according to recent reports, only 4% of solar PV projects in 2020 came with batteries attached. This number is exempted to compound over the coming years, especially as demand for residential solar installations continues to go up.

In the absence of a battery, many solar power systems supply electricity into the home with no option to store excess solar energy harvested during the day. Instead, the solar panels are connected to the power grid so any excess energy is ‘sold’ to the power company.

When the sun goes down for the day, the power company picks up the load and supplies electricity through the night. Of course, you’re paying for this energy — it’s like ‘buying back’ the energy that was sold to the power grid earlier.

This presents a problem in the event of a power outage.

Without battery storage, the solar panels can only supply electricity when the sun is up. If the power outage occurs at night, it means you won’t have electricity in your home since the power grid is unable to supply any.

Having a solar battery backup allows you to avoid interruptions in electricity supply, even during power outages. Since it stores the excess solar energy, there is usually enough to power the home through the night or during outages.

Other benefits of solar battery backups

• Greater energy security — if you live in an area where the grid is unstable every so often, having a solar battery system can ensure a more stable power supply.
• Reduce your home’s carbon footprint — Solar battery backups reduce your reliance on the power grid. This helps to cut your carbon footprint even further.
• No noise pollution — Solar power systems and their batteries don’t make any noise when harvesting solar energy or supplying your home with electricity.
• Reduced electricity bills — Using a solar power system already slashes your electricity bills. By adding battery storage, you further reduce your dependence on the grid to power your home. This means you get to enjoy even lower bills each month.

Is there a drawback?

The main drawback that you may encounter with installing solar battery backups is the up-front cost. Solar batteries can be expensive, and unless your area has been recording more than its usual share of power outages, getting one is generally a financial decision.

However, you can think of it as a long-term investment that will yield good returns in the form of reduced electricity bills and uninterrupted electricity supply even during blackouts.

Make the switch to solar today!

At SolarSwitch, we’re here to help you enjoy the many benefits of converting to residential solar power. Now’s the time to switch to cleaner, more sustainable energy.

If you’re unsure about this technology, our team is more than happy to walk you through how solar energy works and how it can be safely harnessed to power your home year-round.

Schedule your free consultation with SolarSwitch today by calling 831-236-6877 or by filling out our contact form.