Not all solar power systems installed have a battery system included. As we know solar systems are divided into 3 categories: On-Grid, Off-Grid and Hybrid Systems.
Only 4% of the US household solar installations had battery backup in 2020 but the number is still climbing. Adding a battery backup system definitely gives you benefits. It gives homeowners the option to draw on battery power during peak hours. Most countries charge a high rate of electricity during peak hours which mostly are around 6-10 AM and 6-10 PM.
Not only this the battery also gives you an uninterrupted electricity supply in a power cut situation. While battery systems add to the cost of a solar power installation, these benefits can also defray the costs. To learn more about whether solar batteries are a good fit for you, it helps to understand how they work.
HOW DO BATTERIES ACTUALLY WORK?
When there is no appliance working the electricity produced by solar panels is stored in the battery. Similarly, when the solar panels are not working or they are not getting enough sunlight to generate power, the battery supplies power to use appliances.
Solar batteries mainly are of 2 types, the conventional Lead-acid or the trending Lithium-Ion batteries. The reaction of the material inside gives out the desired power for use.
The way you configure your solar battery system affects how it works. You have three main options:
Connect your solar panels to only a solar battery system, filling and discharging it frequently in response to the times without sun that you still want electricity. This is useful when in an area that is “off-grid,” away from electrical utilities.
Connect your solar panels to a solar battery system and to the grid . You can choose to fill your battery and just keep it as a backup, rarely discharging it, and mostly selling and buying excess electricity from the electric company.
If you live in an area where electricity rates vary with the time of day, you can configure your system to use battery backup at the most expensive times and to buy electricity from the grid at the least expensive times.
Eventually, batteries lose their ability to efficiently react and store energy for future use. Solar battery manufacturers often offer warranties or guarantees to build your confidence in how long these products will work, but their lifespan can vary widely depending on different factors.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Solar power is only available for part of the day. Adding a solar power storage battery system ensures you always have power when the sun isn’t out. Solar batteries are designed to work for many years, but they do eventually lose efficiency and stop working, usually before the lifespan of a solar panel, which often last 25-40 years.
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