A small percentage of homes with solar panels have energy storage. However, as the number of homes with solar panels grows, solar energy storage options are becoming more common, and more homeowners are opting for solar energy storage for a multitude of reasons.
Solar and Storage
Using energy from the sun for electrical power is familiar to most. Still, the application and ease of use have caused residential and commercial solar panel systems to gain popularity. A challenge for those that rely on solar energy is what to do when energy is needed but not being actively produced. The answer is storing the energy for use when the power is needed. Some technologies can take the energy from solar panels and store it in a different form of energy, releasing it for use on a needed basis.
Energy storage solutions are an important aspect of solar energy use because the sun is not always shining (especially if you don’t live in Texas.) As solar panels capture energy from the sun, the energy will either be used, stored, or set back to the power grid.
Solar energy production fluctuates. It’s affected by the time of day, season, clouds, dust, time of day, haze, shadows, or other weather conditions that interfere with sunlight directly hitting solar panels. Pairing solar energy production with a storage solution allows solar energy to produce electricity when these fluctuations occur.
Solar storage is not 100% efficient, but the technologies advance daily. A small amount of energy is lost in the conversion process. However, the flexibility of using power at different times is an integral part of using renewable energy regularly.
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Solar Energy Storage – How it Works
There are several types of energy storage for various energy sources. For example, some power grid energy storage is accomplished through pumped hydropower, but solar energy storage uses electrochemical storage (batteries).
When solar energy is generated from solar panels, the energy flows through the panels, and it’s converted into the energy needed to power the home. Then, without a battery, any unused energy flows back to the power grid.
A battery storage solution provides a way to store unused energy produced by the solar panels, saving it for use when needed rather than sending it back to the grid. When a system no longer produces electricity, the reserves are available in the solar battery bank after dark or during an outage.
Move Further Off-Grid with Solar Storage
Using solar storage solutions to store unused energy allows energy use to spread throughout the day and when energy is not actively being produced; This allows you to use renewable energy from the sun longer, removing you from the grid during those times.
Most homes don’t store enough energy to live completely off-grid. However, having any storage solution helps homeowners move further away from relying on grid-produced energy. The current market price for solar storage batteries ranges from $8,000 to $15,000, depending on the capabilities and build quality.
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Solar energy storage solutions are a good investment for those who want to transition away from the grid or live in areas prone to prolonged power outages.
As a premier local solar company, Sunshine Renewable Solutions is a Houston solar installer ready to help you utilize the rapidly growing Texas solar market!
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