Solar + storage is one of the hottest topics today in the world of solar power. Just look at the all attention that Tesla got for its solar-friendly PowerWall — even before the sleek home battery system was ready for prime time.
With big advances in battery technology along with much lower cost, it’s now become more practical to store the solar power you create during the day for use at night.
This has huge implications for America’s energy system. And also for your home, if you’re thinking of going solar.
Utilities Can Use Renewables for Baseload Generation
Affordable solar + storage means that electric utilities no longer have to focus on generating “baseload” power from such sources as coal and natural gas just to keep the grid running.
Instead, the main source for grid power can now become renewable — mostly wind and solar — stored for later use in batteries.
A smart grid can trickle out the stored power from those batteries in times of less demand or release larger amounts of stored power when demand increases. Either way, batteries hold the key to making renewable power more useful.
A new report predicts that in the next two decades, solar could take the place of natural gas as the star of the electric grid, especially to generate baseload power:
Flexibility: the path to low carbon, low cost grids also finds that by 2030, a system with “near-total” renewable energy generation and a mix of batteries and natural gas for backup “would be considerably less expensive than a system powered exclusively by natural gas.”
Homeowners Can Take More Control Over their Energy
For homeowners, cheaper and better batteries promise even more control over your own energy.
- For vacation homes or other remote properties not connected to the electrical grid, solar with storage makes it easier and more affordable to get electricity through off-grid solar. Batteries with higher capacity allow you to power larger appliances, such as heaters or refrigerators, more effectively. They also allow you to run those and other appliances like lights more often without having to worry about running out of juice.
- For homes already connected to the grid but which suffer frequent blackouts, solar with batteries can give you peace of mind by providing backup power when the grid goes down. And even if you haven’t experienced many blackouts in the past, storing your own power can make you more resilient for the future.
While the cost of batteries has come down a lot in the last few years, if you’re on the grid now and you’re generally happy with your utility service, we still don’t recommend going off grid just yet.
However, in the future, as batteries continue to get better and cheaper, going off grid may get more attractive for certain homeowners.
Get Solar Now and Add Batteries Later
If you think you might be one of those homeowners who might want to add storage in the future, the good news is that you don’t have to wait for batteries to improve before getting solar. You can install a solar system now and then add batteries later. All you have to do is make sure your installer puts in a solar system that’s battery ready.
A storage-ready solar system for your home should be set up so with inverters can be easily connected to batteries in the future, according to VA Sun:
When building a system for future storage, it is important to make sure your grid-tied inverter’s power rating doesn’t exceed that of a future battery. Battery sizes range from 4,000-7,000 watts. So, let’s say you have a 9,000 watt system, you would want to purchase two smaller inverters, say 6,000 and 3,000 watt ones, rather than one 9,000 watt inverter. This will allow you to rewire the electricity from the smaller inverter into your future battery system.
This can be accomplished through AC coupling. AC coupling refers to the interface between the solar array and the inverter. This takes place physically in your home’s circuit panel. The battery installer will add an additional breaker panel that covers the outlets that can be powered with the electricity stored in your battery system. These outlets will be the ones connected to your “critical loads” such as your refrigerator.
VA Sun goes onto explain that having two smaller inverters instead of one large inverter can add $500-$1000 to the cost of an average sized home system in Virginia. If you might want to get batteries in the, that extra cost could be worthwhile to keep your options open.
Make Sure to Plan for Solar + Storage Now
Another approach would be to put up panels with microinverters that can be hooked up to storage in the future. Either way, you’d want to discuss your desire to possibly add storage in the future with any Virginia solar installer when you get a home assessment and price quote.
Main Street Solar is experienced in connecting solar to storage today, for off-grid solar, or for use in the future on your grid-tied property. We offer the best equipment for solar + storage in Virginia, whether it’s the newest technology or a tried-and-true product that provides excellent service at a better value.
We can walk you through your options and advise on the best way to proceed based on what you want to do with batteries now and in the future.
Just request a Free Quote and we’ll come by your place anywhere in southwest or central Virginia to get started. Of course, there’s no cost, and no obligation.
— Andrew Brenner, Main Street Solar
