ENERGY STORAGE MEANS FLEXIBILITY
By putting a solar energy system on your home’s roof you automatically reduce or eliminate the power you must buy from your utility. This gives you a level of independence from the supplier as you generate your own energy. During certain times of the day you may produce more than you can use. Your system controls send every bit of this excess solar power back to the grid. To read more about that, visit our Solar PV page.
By adding a little more technology, a rooftop solar energy system opens up more options, giving the homeowner greater independence from the utility. How? By adding energy storage in the form of batteries, the power produced by a solar system can now be used at a different time. That means not every kilowatt-hour produced needs to be used at the home or sent back to the utility.
Think about what the battery in your car does for you. While you drive, you are charging your battery. This gives you the ability to hop in the car at any other time and turn on devices like your radio without having to start it. Think of your solar power system as your engine + alternator that charges your batteries while also giving you power to operate all of your home or parts of your home just like your car. There are usually two reasons homeowners in Pennsylvania and New Jersey are motivated to consider energy storage with batteries: To be able to continue to operate important parts of the home whenever there is some local blackout (Battery Backup/Emergency Power); And to be able to cut the chord entirely from the utility (100% Off-Grid)
Battery Backup/Emergency Power
In New Jersey and Pennsylvania we are often frustrated by power outages. They sometimes come at the worst time, or they may last longer than we would like. Especially when Atlantic Coast storms wreak havoc on the grid, some homes may be without power for longer periods of time. Solar + batteries give you much more independence and control during these situations. Systems can be designed to automatically switch to an emergency mode or they can require homeowner action. These designs are not commonly intended to allow full operation of everything in the home. But critical appliances and conveniences such as these can be supported:
- Certain lights
- Key electrical outlets that can be used for radios or phone charging, for example
- Refrigeration for food
- Sump pumps during storms
- Security systems
- Other small devices important to the homeowner
To learn more about how to better survive unwanted power outages visit our Battery Backup systems page. Or Contact us directly with any question you may have.
100% Off-Grid
With a properly designed solar energy system plus battery storage, it is possible to completely “cut the cord” from the grid and your local utility. But, being 100% dependent on solar power is both an ambitious plan and one that requires the most family planning and expert design.
We encourage off-grid customers to develop energy usage strategies that make the best use of they system. Since there is no alternative to use grid power, this approach requires skillful execution and experience. Energy conservation and efficiency should be included as part of the family’s thinking, and new routines and habits may be needed to make sure you aren’t using more power than the sun can provide in 24 hours. Maximizing the benefits of this type of system gives most families an enhanced sense of self-sufficiency and the comfort that they are minimizing their impact on the environment. We offer special consultation to help customers make better informed decisions. We want you to know exactly how an off-grid solar energy system might impact your life.
A Note About Battery Technology
Batteries used for solar plus storage must be able to withstand the environment and use into which they are placed. Not all batteries are suitable, and the first goal is to make sure they are 100% dependable exactly when needed. At Exact Solar, our experience leads us to offer you two battery technologies for the widest range of needs and circumstances. Similar to what is used to start and operate your car, lead acid batteries are one option. Lithium Ion represents a more modern approach.
To learn more about Exact Solar battery technology visit our Contact page.
