10/06/2021
PREPARING FOR OUTAGES: BATTERIES OR GENERATORS?
Solar power usage is on the rise throughout the United States. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), a new solar energy system was installed every 75 seconds in 2020. Currently, 18.6 million homes use solar power, which is around 3% of the country’s total energy usage.
That’s a huge step up from previous years; and if this pace continues, we can expect to see approximately 13.6% of homes relying on solar by 2025. But with a solar panel system typically come battery or generator needs.
And they’re experiencing a recent surge in popularity, too: The COVID-19 pandemic, increased risk of natural disasters and worsening storms due to climate change, and an aging electric grid infrastructure have urged homeowners to explore backup systems to keep their power on during potential outages.
In fact, the SEIA predicts that “[b]y 2025, nearly 25% of all behind-the-meter solar systems will be paired with storage, compared to under 6% in 2020.” So what should you look for in a backup storage system? Your main choice is between a battery or a generator.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BATTERIES AND GENERATORS?
Batteries and generators are two main types of home power backup systems that can power electricity in your home if an outage occurs.
BATTERIES
Batteries run on electricity and can be charged from either the excess energy your solar panels produce or energy from the grid. If you design your battery to use off-grid backup energy, you can recharge it even if the grid goes down, which gives you security in your power sourcing. However, not all battery systems can be recharged during a power outage, so if this is a feature that’s important to you, check with your contractor to make sure you have the right system.
GENERATORS
As for generators, some newer models have the ability to use solar energy to charge, but they typically use fuel such as diesel, liquid propane, or natural gas, which converts to electricity for your home.
As long as you have the correct fuel (and a sufficient amount of it), your generator will continue to run. But if you were ever to run out of fuel, some generators have the option of connecting to a natural gas line. Not everyone has access to a line, though; if you don’t, consider setting aside extra fuel in your home to prepare for an outage.
MAKING THE RIGHT DECISION FOR YOUR HOME
While batteries and generators have their own set of advantages and disadvantages, it’s best to choose what’s most fitting for you, your home, and your loved ones. Let’s take a look at how a residential solar power system combined with a generator or battery will keep you self-sufficient in the wake of an emergency.
HOW CAN SOLAR POWER HELP ME PREPARE FOR DISASTERS OR OUTAGES?
It’s easy to dismiss disaster planning as prepping for a worst-case scenario that likely won’t occur, but if we learned anything from the global pandemic and recent, increasingly frequent natural disasters, it’s that we never know when or how quickly our lives can change.
Backup power options are incredibly useful since grids face numerous vulnerabilities, including car accidents, lightning storms, wind, falling trees, and even pesky squirrels that can wreak havoc on energy lines.
Since traditional energy providers feed electricity into homes primarily via coal and natural gas plants, which operate much differently than solar panels during disaster scenarios, they’re immediately shut down when a crisis occurs. This means homes that rely solely on their utilities can lose power entirely.
Additionally, if your power grid, or even a power plant, is damaged during a disaster, the shutdown could last for days to account for the cleaning and rebuilding process. Storing backup energy from grids or excess power generated by your home’s solar energy system can prepare you for complete power outages. You’ll have the ability to keep the lights on, maintain food storage to prevent spoilage, keep necessary medical equipment running, and even use your laptop for work obligations.
For many, the allure of solar power is sustainability in that it significantly reduces your carbon footprint and provides you with a new sense of energy independence. But solar and backup power will also ensure your safety and empower you to manage unforeseen circumstances.
WHY CHOOSE SOLAR BATTERIES?
Batteries are great for providing instantaneous power for a few hours to keep features that require smaller loads of energy, such as lighting and refrigerators, up and running. Charging an electric vehicle overnight is possible, too.
To increase your battery’s stored power, you can offset your energy usage during peak demand hours if your utility company has a time-of-use plan.
This will give you more stored power when the sun goes down, and especially when there’s a power outage. While batteries have an initial higher purchase cost than generators, they can help you save money long-term because they run entirely on renewable energy and rarely need maintenance or repair work.
Based on a GTM report from 2018, an 8% annual decline in the cost of energy storage is predicted through 2022, noting a likely decline in battery costs as more people adopt independent energy sourcing technology in their homes.
