which is free, clean, and entirely renewable. Why not make a solar system investment that gives you complete control to replace your reliance on conventional energy?
Solar panels continuously produce energy, and when they produce more than you are using, the extra energy is stored in a battery pack. While there are various battery types, a typical solar battery can hold energy for one to five days.
Can Solar Energy Be Stored
Yes, solar energy can be saved for use in the future in a residential photovoltaic (PV) system by filling an electric battery bank. Lithium-ion, lead-acid, and flow batteries are now used to store the majority of solar energy.
How to Store Solar Energy
Most homeowners decide to use solar batteries to store their solar energy. Technically, you can store solar energy using mechanical or thermal energy storage methods like pumped hydro systems or molten salt energy storage technologies, but these methods require a lot of space, materials, and moving parts. Overall, not the most practical method of energy storage for a house.
On the other hand, solar batteries are a fantastic way to store solar energy for homes. Lithium-ion batteries are the most popular battery type used for solar energy storage. Compared to other solar energy storage options on the market, like lead-acid batteries, lithium-ion batteries have a longer lifespan, require less maintenance, and take up less space.
Through a series of chemical reactions, lithium ions that are transported through an electrolyte solution inside the battery are able to store solar energy in lithium-ion batteries. As a result, when solar panels transmit energy to the battery storage system, a chemical reaction takes place inside the battery that moves lithium ions and releases electrons in an electrolyte solution, which is where the energy is stored.
Electrons flow backward and the battery’s electricity is discharged when you need to use it. The battery is rechargeable because this procedure is reusable over and over.
Benefits of Solar Energy Storage
Backup Power
Contrary to popular belief, solar panels cannot keep your home powered when there is no power. You must combine your solar system with a solar battery if you want to keep your lights on when the power grid is down. In states like California, where widespread power outages are frequent, energy storage is therefore most popular there.
Solar batteries have the additional benefit of being a much quieter backup power option than gas-guzzling generators. Furthermore, you don’t need to worry about charging a battery—just let your solar panels do their thing, and the energy is ready for use!
Energy Independence
With solar energy storage, you can depend less on the power grid. We already know that means you’ll be safe when the power on the grid fails, but it also means you’ll have less of reliance on the utility in general.
One benefit of solar energy storage is that it shields you from the annual increases in electricity prices that are all but certain to occur. Instead of using the grid and paying exorbitant rates for electricity, a battery enables you to draw power directly from it.
Furthermore, you are completely aware of the source of your power. With the help of a utility, energy can be produced using foreign gas and oil. You can relax knowing that your roof is producing the solar energy that powers your house.
Electric Bill Savings
A utility rate structure known as net metering prevents a solar battery from reducing your utility bill savings in many locations. In the event that your home generates more solar energy than it needs, your utility will reimburse you at the full retail rate of electricity. Essentially, you use the utility as your “financial battery”.
However, not all utilities provide full retail net metering; some instead choose to pay less for extra solar electricity. Here, additional utility bill savings from solar energy storage can be realized. You store your excess electricity for later use and receive the full retail value out of it rather than sending it to the grid and getting paid at a low rate.
Solar storage is also beneficial if your utility imposes higher electric prices during peak demand hours using time-of-use rates. During these times, you can avoid paying the high rates set by your utility by using the electricity stored in your battery.
Reducing Your Carbon Footprint
Several U.S. utility companies still create most of their power using dirty fossil fuels. As a result, you are probably causing the burning of fossil fuels to some extent for each kilowatt-hour of electricity you use from your utility.
To maximize the amount of renewable energy your home uses, solar energy storage systems allow you to use all of the electricity your solar energy system generates. Solar energy usage reduces carbon emissions, improves the quality of life on Earth, and promotes happiness.
Conclusion: Plan Early
many older solar energy storage systems still rely on older battery technologies that might not be as effective. For instance, early adopters of solar panels were known to build their own storage matrix by connecting a chain of lead-acid batteries together. This system was successful in its day, but it can also be dangerous. More and more proponents of solar energy are switching to lithium-ion batteries or their low-maintenance VRLA battery equivalents as those systems age in order to achieve better results.
If you’re planning a solar addition to your building, you should consider solar energy storage as early as possible in the planning stage.
FAQ
Is Storing Solar Energy Expensive?
Your particular needs will determine everything. The cost of solar storage has significantly decreased over the past ten years, and long-term advancements in technology and efficiency should continue to lower storage costs.
How Long Do Solar Batteries Last?
Depending on the type, standard solar batteries have a lifespan of 15–30 years.
How Can I See Optimal Solar Efficiency?
Yes, the positioning of solar panels is important in this situation. Utilizing solar panel design software will help you plan your installation and achieve maximum efficiency.