To Pair or Not To Pair Your Solar With Batteries

Do you use solar power to reduce your dependence on commercial utility service providers?

Having a solar array might not be enough.

Whether you’re a commercial or residential user, you should do everything you can to maximize the usage you’re getting out of your solar installation. And the best way to do so is pairing solar with batteries.

Solar energy storage can maximize the ROI of switching to solar and help you go off the grid. So you should definitely consider how to add battery to existing solar system.

Today, let’s learn everything about combining solar systems with robust batteries. After all, going solar is an expensive investment, and you should be thoroughly prepared to streamline your setup before taking the plunge.

Understanding the Science Behind Solar Batteries

What are solar batteries, and how do they work?

Solar batteries are energy storage systems that are hooked directly to solar arrays. So, a solar battery stores any excess power that your solar panel installation produces during the day. This stored solar power can later be used for all of your household appliances.

It’s important to note that if you’re a grid-tied solar user, any excess electricity produced by your solar system flows back to your utility provider’s power grid. You can draw energy from it when you need it. In this scenario, you essentially give away surplus power.

But when you add battery to existing solar, you replace the utility grid as a storage system. A solar panel with batteries becomes a self-sufficient unit; all power is yours.

Solar batteries can be:

1. AC-coupled where it stores excess power as Direct Current (DC), and it has a built-in inverter that converts DC to AC to power all sorts of appliances.
2. DC-coupled, where the power is stored as DC. It flows through a charge controller, and it can be connected to your home’s electric circuit/wiring.

Most manufacturers make solar batteries in both configurations with varying specifications. You can choose either, depending on your preference for residential solar panels.

What’s most important here is that a solar panel with batteries gives you a storage unit. And it leads to immediate benefits in terms of power supply so you can make even more financial gains in the long run.

Benefits of Using Solar Batteries

So, why add battery to existing solar? For the most obvious benefit — your system becomes self-reliant. Furthermore, you will always have backup power, which is critical during a natural disaster, some other household emergency, or simply want to continue using solar energy at night.

Pairing solar with batteries will enable you to have power 24/7.

But there’s more to batteries and solar panels than these advantages.

You always have the option to become a grid-tied solar user and save the cost of purchasing solar batteries. But in such a scenario, your savings depend on your local net metering laws.

Net metering might not always help you make significant savings on your electricity bills. If local regulations allow for full-retail net metering where you get paid depending on existing electric rates, you can save a lot.

However, most net metering laws are either the avoided cost model or follow Time of Use (ToU) rates. Neither pays back the retail rate for sending surplus energy into the grid.

A solar panel with batteries limits overall dependence on utility providers and even offsets your entire energy usage. So, when you have a solar battery connection, you make short-term and long-term gains.

That’s why it’s wise to add a battery to an existing solar system.

How Much Do Solar Batteries Cost?

Then again, going solar isn’t exactly cheap, nor is adding a battery. Before you add batteries to solar system, it’s best to consider potential expenses.

The cost of solar batteries is influenced by various factors, including manufacturer, type, and number of batteries you buy.

Depending on your specific needs, you could spend around $400 to $750 per kW on solar batteries. By that math, a standard 10kW battery with a roundtrip efficiency of 70% to 90% could run up to $4000 to $7500. Fortunately, this is enough to power an average American household that consumes 29.53 kWh of energy in a day.

This amount is not inclusive of labor charges, which can run up to $2000 to $3500.

Other miscellaneous factors, like federal tax credits or local solar discounts, can help you save big bucks.

So, how much you spend on solar panels with batteries setup is highly variable. It’s best to consult solar experts before you pair solar with batteries.

A trustworthy solar company in California with decades of experience in solar installations can provide the correct estimate based on requirements unique to your household.

With the help of a solar panel cost calculator and years of expertise, AMECO Solar & Roofing can help you budget for your solar investment.

Batteries and Solar Panels: A Match Made in Heaven

State-of-the-art, high-efficiency solar panels might be an inspired solution to humanity’s raging energy shortage concerns. But on their own, they are not a failsafe. Even the most powerful solar panel won’t deliver efficient benefits if not connected to a storage system.

While turning to your local utility provider is an option, it makes little sense to depend on the grid when you can add battery to solar system and do away with the problem.

That’s why batteries and solar panels make for a formidable pair.

Solar batteries make power accessible to you around the clock. Come rain, storm, or unforeseen rate increase, you can still meet your energy consumption needs.

Using solar power is not just great for the planet; it also gives you grid independence, which can remove a significant financial burden from your shoulders. You don’t have to worry about changing net metering laws and uncertainty regarding rate increases if you have solar with batteries.

Wondering how to add battery to existing solar system? Get in touch with AMECO to get started as soon as possible.