Recent unplanned power outages by PG&E across Northern California have unnerved countless business owners and families.
The inconvenience and stress brought upon thousands of customers have led many to rethink the future of their electricity consumption. Solar power and solar batteries are on top of the list of solutions.
If this is something you’ve thought about, you may have some bigger picture questions about solar batteries.
Here are three things you may have wondered about.
Do I have to have solar batteries if I have solar panels?
No, you can have solar panels with no solar battery. A solar battery just allows you to store excess energy created by your panels for use at another time. This can include at night, or during a power shutoff.
Solar batteries simply expand your ability to utilize more of the power your panels create. In the event of a utility shutdown, you will be able to utilize your solar system to power your backup load panel and your battery for use at night. Solar without a battery storage option would eliminate the use of energy production during a utility power shutdown.
Is this a long-term solution?
Global demand for battery storage is expected to reach nearly 3,000 gigawatts by 2040.
To put that in perspective: At that capacity, nearly half of the renewable energy consumed today would be able to be stored.
How large of a solar battery do I need?
This will largely depend on the type of solar system you have at your home or business. The size of the battery should align with the amount of power your system can generate. To determine this, we will examine your electricity usage over several months and see how much power your solar panels are sending back to the utility grid. Typically, the customer will select a handful of items in their home to backup (called an essential load panel). This includes circuits for a refrigerator, freezer, some lights and the outlet for your internet modem.
You can be at the forefront of this emerging technology. For nearly four decades, Aztec Solar has been leading the way in providing our customers with state-of-the-art solar energy solutions and award-winning customer service. Whether you want to install a solar electricity system within your home or business, we are committed to meeting your energy needs, whatever they may be.
Remember, when you install a battery storage system and combine it with solar power, you will have the peace of mind that you can avoid shutoffs to your home or business.
Contact us today with any questions you may have.