What Are the Benefits of a Solar Energy Storage System?

Solar energy storage systems enable homeowners to realize the full benefits of their renewable energy systems. They also help save money on electricity costs by allowing customers to decouple their consumption from peak time-of-use (TOU) rates.

Energy storage can be co-located with, or stand alone from, a solar power system. It helps balance electricity loads and smooth out variations in solar energy production caused by seasonality, weather and obstructions like clouds.

Save Money

Solar energy storage systems help homeowners and businesses save money on their utility bills and can also help them reach off-grid status, depending on the type of system they install. This is because they allow the homeowner to store excess solar power for use at times when sunlight is not available, rather than simply selling it back to their utility through net metering.

A Solar energy storage system can also insulate homeowners from increasing electricity rates from electricity retailers and from the risks of a grid that may fail due to climate events or poor infrastructure management. The batteries in a solar energy system can provide a backup source of energy for hours or days when the grid fails, which is a great way to avoid expensive electricity bills and move toward resiliency.

Although the financial benefit of energy storage is not as large as it could be, it does provide added value to solar customers. It helps reduce their reliance on the grid, can be used for backup power during an outage, and makes solar more valuable when combined with home battery systems. In addition to these benefits, a solar-plus-storage system can also offer a faster ROI and may qualify for tax incentives such as the Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) in California. Find out how much you can save by adding a battery system to your solar power system using our free quote tool today.

More Energy Self-Sufficiency

A solar energy system that has battery storage helps you take control of your energy destiny. Even if you still get your power from the utility grid, the ability to store electricity means that you’re less dependent on the utility during peak demand periods and in case of a grid outage.

Typically, peak energy use occurs in the evening as people come home and turn on appliances and electronics. This coincides with decreased solar generation, which can create a supply and demand imbalance. A solar-plus-storage system allows you to bank the energy that you generate during low-demand hours and use it during high-demand periods, lowering your electricity bills.

The energy stored in the battery can be used to offset the need for grid power at night or during cloudy days. This helps reduce the need to pay time-of-use rates, which are higher during these periods of peak electricity use. The system also helps you save energy-intensive items like washing machines for nighttime, when electricity rates are lower.

Energy storage systems can help increase your energy self-sufficiency, but they’re only truly valuable when combined with solar panels. With a solar-plus-storage system, you can reduce your utility dependence and move closer to going off the grid. You can track your solar-plus-storage system’s performance through monitoring capabilities, which will Solar energy storage system enable you to better manage your energy consumption and achieve a faster ROI on your investment.

Reduce Your Reliance on the Grid

Energy storage systems can help you become less dependent on the grid. Depending on the size of your system, it can store enough power to eliminate or significantly reduce your need for grid electricity. That means you’re protected from expensive utility rate increases and you know exactly where your electricity is coming from.

Many utilities have time-of-use rates, which are higher during peak demand Solar energy storage system times in the afternoon and evening. Solar battery storage allows you to use your own solar-generated electricity during those periods, eliminating or reducing your need to buy energy from the grid.

Solar energy storage can also be used to smooth out the varying output of PV or CSP power plants. By storing energy, the system can be kept in a more steady state of operation, even when there are variations in sunlight due to clouds, dust, haze, or obstructions such as shadows and tree growth.

If you live in an area that is prone to grid outages or natural disasters, solar-plus-storage can help you be more self-sufficient by providing backup power. Having the ability to store energy, even on cloudy days or after the sun sets, gives you peace of mind and puts you closer to becoming fully off-grid.

Backup Power

Solar energy systems paired with batteries can provide backup power in the event of an outage. The length of time that the system can power appliances depends on the battery size and capacity and how much energy you use at home.

Solar storage helps you save money by reducing your utility bills by storing the excess energy produced by your solar panels during the day for use at higher demand times such as after work and into the evening. This helps you avoid paying peak Time-of-Use (TOU) rates which can be twice as high as off-peak rates.

Batteries also help manage the variability of renewable generation by smoothing out power production. Short-term storage can help ensure that quick changes in output caused by passing clouds don’t greatly impact a solar plant’s overall generation, and longer-term storage helps to provide power during electricity outages.

Whether you’re already going solar or considering a solar energy system, adding solar storage is a great way to unlock the full potential of your new investment and further reduce your reliance on fossil fuels. Contact us to learn more about our solar-plus-storage solutions!

Note: The battery storage component of a solar energy system is an integral part of the entire system and requires professional installation. SMUD will charge a one-time fee for interconnection of the solar-plus-storage system with the SMUD grid to recover the cost of providing this service.