Have you ever wished you could bottle up the warmth of a July day and open it during the cold and dark days of January? Well this, to use a bit of creative license, is exactly what solar batteries do.
Solar batteries allow you to capture and store the energy generated by solar panels for later use, giving you access to over 80% of what you self-generate and avoiding peak energy going to waste when you need it most.
Solar batteries are a savvy alternative to selling surplus energy back to the grid and can often yield greater long-term cost savings.
So, How Do Solar Batteries Work?
Let’s take a look at how solar batteries work in practice and how they can help you make the best use of the electricity generated by your solar panels.
Solar panels work by converting sunlight into electricity. This happens through photovoltaics: photons from sunlight shake electrons free from atoms, generating electricity. The electricity generated by your solar panels is known as Direct Current (DC). As most household appliances and systems use Alternating Current (AC), this DC electricity is converted to AC using an inverter and can then be used to power your home. If your solar panels produce more electricity than you need at the time, the excess energy can be stored in your solar battery, which works like any other battery, storing energy for use at a later time.
You can then discharge your stored energy when your solar panels aren’t producing much or any electricity, such as during the winter, at night, or during a power cut. This allows you to use renewable energy on a continuous basis throughout the year, even when conditions aren’t ideal for solar energy production.
Your solar battery can also store electricity drawn from the National Grid – e.g., during cheap periods, such as overnight – for use during peak times. This can be an extremely valuable cost-saving strategy. During the winter months, in particular, when households typically use the most electricity, you can store overnight energy from the grid and then consume it during the day at a fraction of the cost.
What Can I Use Stored Energy For?
A solar battery can be used to power pretty much any household appliance or system, from washing machines and TVs to phone chargers, electric ovens, and plug-in heaters. Whatever appliance you can plug into the mains can be powered as effectively by your solar battery. Many homeowners also use their battery as an emergency backup supply (EPS) during grid power outages.
Having energy stored in your solar battery also gives you a valuable resource that can be used as an emergency power supply during grid power cuts – which are becoming more and more frequent due to the erratic winter weather that is now the norm in many parts of the country.
Can I Still Sell Solar Energy Back to the Grid?
Yes, having a solar battery gives you the option to retain your solar-generated power for personal use in your home, but you can also sell some or all of your surplus back to the grid if you choose to. The approach you take depends on the savings you are looking for, your energy use, and the needs of your home and family at the time. We are happy to advise you on the right approach to maximise the benefit of your solar battery savings.
Find Out More
To find out more about solar batteries and the potential cost savings for your home, please get in touch with one of the green energy specialists at GreenFox Energy today by clicking here.
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