Solar panels require the sun’s energy to keep your home’s electricity running. During a blackout, the sun’s still up, so would the panels still work? This answer depends on the type of solar power systems in place – whether they’re battery backed up or grid tied.
Battery Backed System
If you have a battery-backed system, your electricity will keep on running because the battery system is independently wired from the grid. While your solar system works during the day to convert direct current (DC) energy to alternating current (AC) energy for your home to use, the excess solar energy is stored in the battery. If the battery is a large enough size, it can store enough energy to leave you light for the night. A large battery will protect you when the grid-wide blackout occurs, keeping your electricity running even in winter with less solar exposure.
Grid Tied
On the other hand, residential solar panels connected to the grid will not be as fortunate. Unlike the battery-backup system, grid-tied systems do not save the excess energy for later use. Rather, the energy is placed back onto the grid for later use. When solar systems detect that the grid power is down, the system will automatically shut down in order to protect utility workers’ safety and home appliances in danger of damage.
Benefits
While all this may sound a bit daunting, remember how much you could be saving by considering a solar panel installation. Solar panels help you save money by trading your excess energy into utilities and help you keep the environment free from burning fossil fuels. It’s a win-win situation.
Start your renewable energy journey today and contact Big Mountain Heating and Air to schedule an appointment for solar panel installation.