Welcome back to Powering the Future, our series on solar home batteries and the vital role they play in powering clean, efficient energy storage for homes and communities. In parts one and two, we've gone over basics on how long a solar battery can be expected to power your home during an outage, plus the kinds of appliances it will typically be able to supply power to.
At Intermountain Wind & Solar, we're here to offer an extensive range of home battery installation services to clients around Salt Lake City, Utah and Boise, Idaho, this on top of our quality solar panel products and services. Today's third entry in our eventual six-part series will look at another common question from clients about batteries: How does a solar home battery interact with the electrical grid, both during standard operations and during power outages? Here's a basic explainer to help you understand how this entire system operates.
It's often helpful to think of the electrical grid as a highway system for electricity. Just like highways are used to transport cars and other vehicles from one location to another, the electrical grid transports electricity from power plants to homes and businesses. When you turn on a light switch or plug in your phone charger, you're tapping into this vast network of interconnected power lines, substations, and transformers that make up the grid.
Within the electrical grid, major power plants create power to begin the process. This power is then sent through high-voltage transmission lines to distribution substations, which lower the voltage and distribute it to smaller power lines. From there, the electricity is delivered to local transformers and then finally to individual homes and businesses.
So where does a solar home battery fit into this system? In most cases, solar batteries are grid-tied, meaning they are connected to the electrical grid and can communicate with it. This allows them to be charged by excess energy produced by rooftop solar panels during sunny hours, and then discharge that energy when needed (such as during a power outage or during peak demand times).
During normal operations, a grid-tied solar home battery will typically draw energy from the grid to supplement any energy that is not being produced by the solar panels. This helps ensure a consistent and reliable supply of electricity for your home.
While most solar home batteries are grid-tied, some homeowners may opt for an off-grid system. In this case, the battery will still be connected to the electrical grid, but it will also have its own independent power source (such as a backup generator or wind turbine). This allows the battery to operate completely independently from the grid and provide power during outages or when there is no access to traditional electricity sources.
As renewable energy sources like solar continue to grow in popularity, grid-tied solar home batteries are becoming increasingly important. They help balance the supply and demand of electricity on the grid, reducing strain during peak demand times and providing backup power during outages. Additionally, they can help reduce reliance on non-renewable energy sources and decrease carbon emissions.
At Intermountain Wind & Solar, we understand the complexities of how solar batteries interact with the electrical grid. That's why our expert team is dedicated to providing top-notch installation services and ongoing support for your battery system.
As we just alluded to, grid-tied solar home batteries have the unique ability to help balance supply and demand on the electrical grid. During peak demand times (usually in the evening when people return home from work), there is often a strain on the grid as more energy is needed than usual. This can lead to blackouts or brownouts, where power is either cut off completely or reduced.
However, with a solar home battery system in place, excess energy produced by residential solar panels can be stored in batteries instead of being sent back to the grid. Then during these peak times, the battery can discharge this stored energy to help meet the increased demand. This not only helps prevent blackouts and brownouts but also reduces reliance on non-renewable energy sources. And it also helps individual consumers, who receive credits for the excess energy they contribute back to the grid.
During a power outage, meanwhile, your battery picks up the slack where the power grid is failing. Rather than relying on candles or flashlights, a solar home battery system allows you to continue using your essential appliances and devices until power is restored. This can be especially helpful during longer outages or in areas where the grid may not be as reliable.
Grid-tied solar home batteries are essential components of modern energy systems. They help balance supply and demand on the electrical grid, provide backup power during outages, reduce reliance on non-renewable energy sources, and even save individual homeowners money through credits for excess energy production. At Intermountain Wind & Solar, we're proud to offer top-quality installation services for these important products. Stay tuned for the rest of our series as we dive into other elements of solar home batteries, or contact us for any solar power service needs around SLC, Utah and Boise, Idaho!
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