How Battery Storage Works

With SGIP incentives available, there’s no better time to purchase an energy storage system.  Battery allows properties to collect energy from both a solar system and the utility which then can be stored and discharged at times when solar is no longer produce energy, such as during the night. With stored energy, a home will be protected from any high peak rates. As long as there’s stored energy, battery will be the second in line power source helping to eliminate energy typically delivered by the utility.  Charging an electric vehicle at night with stored energy from a battery is a great way to keep costs low and become more independent from the grid.

LG Chem and the Tesla Powerwall

Just like the Tesla Powerwall, LG Chem RESU is an AC energy storage system (with an internal DC converter). This means that you’ll be able to install the battery and integrate it with a pre-existing solar system. Both batteries include a 10 year manufacturer warranty and have a compact design that make it easy to install as either a floor-standing or wall-mounted system for indoor and outdoor settings.

LG Chem RESU 10H has a usable energy output of 9.3Kwh. The Tesla Powerwall offers 13.5kWh of output while both have 5kW max power.  To put this into context, average family home uses about 30 kilowatt hours of energy per day.  Average home solar system (6.6kW DC) will produce 17kwh per day with fully charged battery contributing to about a third of your energy needs.

How To Choose The Right Battery Storage System

If you’re shopping to purchase a battery storage system, consider the following factors:

• Your home’s energy consumption
• Your solar system’s production
• The capacity of the battery storage unit

When it comes to purchasing battery storage you’ll want how much energy you use in addition to how much solar you produce. Your utility bill is a great tool to determine how much energy your home needs beyond what your solar system can generate and deliver in excess to the grid. By adding up the kWh you’ve received from the grid and subtracting that number with how much solar you produced during the same time-frame, you’ll know exactly how much additional energy you’ll want to offset with battery storage. While analyzing your bill, be sure to review how much energy you consume during the high or low peak hours of the day. This will give you an idea of the type of battery capacity you’ll need when solar is not producing. By tracking your solar system’s production on a monthly, weekly, and daily basis, you’ll have a better understanding of how a battery storage unit will contribute to your energy savings and use.  This way you’ll have a idea of which battery to purchase.

If you are unsure how to analyze your energy use or need help on how to monitor  your solar production, contact us and speak one of our energy facilitators to further assist you. It’s our job to help you meet your energy goals.

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Whether you currently have a solar system or not, having a battery storage system can be your hero during an emergency or disaster event. During a heatwave, temperatures can exceed over 100 degrees forcing consumers to use more power than usual by reducing their A/C thermostats to pump cooler air. State sponsored programs like Flex Alert help bring awareness yet most people just can’t handle the heat.

Battery Storage Saves The Day

Battery storage (also known as battery backup) protects consumers from blackouts during heat waves and other disaster events. A battery storage unit will collect power, either from the grid or a solar system, then store it. The unit will only release that energy when it’s necessary. Its main function is to charge and discharge energy automatically – typically during high peak rates. When a blackout occurs the storage unit will release stored electricity to the property but to only those critical loads that are designated by the battery’s management system.

What is a Critical Load Center?

A critical load center is a separate electrical panel that’s installed with the battery. Critical loads include selected low consumption appliances such as lighting circuits, refrigerators, and a small room such as a den or office. The idea is to feed a limited amount of power supply to important areas of the property during a blackout. Because the battery storage unit has limited capacity, powering critical loads only allows the unit to be conservative by extending its energy discharge over a longer period of time.

Battery Storage and Solar – The Ultimate Energy Protection

Although it’s possible to have a battery storage unit without solar, it’s ideal to have solar along with battery storage. Why is this? During a blackout, the storage unit is going to take the utilities place as energy provider to the property. Depending on how long the blackout will be, the storage unit can only discharge energy that’s stored from the grid. If the blackout is only 30 minutes, the home or business will be protected. But if the blackout exceeds 5 hours, (depending on storage capacity) the battery will have released all it’s stored energy.

A solar system combined with battery storage allows the unit to store clean renewable energy from the solar panels as they generate electricity during the day, allowing the battery to continuously recharge itself. This results in a sustainable energy cycle where battery discharges and recharges continuously based on solar power production. The unit will then discharge the electricity to the critical loads. Whether a blackout or normal day, solar with battery storage is the most effective way to be energy independent. Keep in mind that it’s only during a blackout event that the storage will discharge to critical loads. Normal days, storage may discharge to more electric loads and appliances of the home or buildings. Lets face it, this is why battery storage can protect you from blackouts in Los Angeles!

Peace of Mind With Battery Backup

Let’s be honest, the city has an outdated power grid that is sensitive to high energy demand. resulting in blackouts. Blackouts are caused by different factors, some very dramatic and while other’s more common. Nevertheless, families and business have a smart opportunity to protect themselves during such events. Being prepared is the top priority and being sustainable brings peace of mind. In Los Angeles for example, a city that is growing in population and demand for energy, will fail to prosper as a larger community when their energy infrastructure isn’t capable to be a reliable source of power. It’s up to the homes and businesses to take responsibility and take advantage of the tools and technology that will allow their independence from grid reliability. Battery storage, with solar is the best option.

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