Finally, a solution for that unused solar power.
The home is the center of family life but many people aren’t aware of the options they have to control how it's powered. At times we may forget to take the necessary steps to ensure that our home is prepared for a crisis—that’s where batteries come in to help. Below you’ll find information on how home solar batteries can deliver peace of mind by ensuring that energy will be there, whenever you need it most.
Home solar batteries are quickly emerging as one of the best options for emergency home energy backup. With solar power batteries comes the ability to keep the lights on when we need them most, tap into solar power at night, and take greater control over home power.
How solar power batteries work
A solar power battery saves excess solar energy from your panels and uses it to power your home when you need it most—like during an outage or when the sun goes down.
A solar home battery is exactly what it sounds like—a battery, for your home, that stores power from your solar energy system. During the day, solar panel batteries store excess energy from your solar panels and allow you to tap into that stored energy so you can access power when you need it most, like during a power outage.
Your system produces energy when the sun is shining.
Your battery stores any excess clean energy not used by your home.
Your home pulls power from your storage when needed.
A lot of solar panel batteries have capacities around 10kWh so (depending on your specific configurations) this allows enough stored energy to power up to four circuits in your home, the most common of which are your fridge, kitchen, bathroom, and heater. For larger homes, or if you want to power more than four circuits, it is sometimes possible to upgrade to additional battery storage.
The time it takes the four circuits to consume all the energy in your solar home battery varies based on things like battery type, age, capacity, appliance size, etc. Most solar panel batteries should keep your essentials running for at least a few hours, but it is possible that your battery could maintain enough charge to keep your essentials running for days at a time.
That’s because your panels continue to charge your battery during the day, so it’s possible that they could produce enough energy each new day for your battery to never fully deplete overnight. Then the battery will begin to recharge as soon as sunlight hits panels the next morning.
Other Solar Battery Questions
We don’t just want to give you the basics about solar home batteries; we want to be subject matter experts for you and your go-to place for answers to all things home battery. Because of that, we’ve provided you with a list of some key questions and answers you’ll want to keep in mind while you consider purchasing your solar home battery.
Are solar batteries reliable during a crisis?
Yes, absolutely. As mentioned above, there are different configurations available and every crisis is different. But energy backup during emergencies is one of the biggest benefits of having a solar battery. Take a look at Willard Macdonald’s story about how a solar battery helped his family when the Kincaid wildfire in California threatened his home in 2019.
Are there benefits to solar batteries besides emergency backup power?
Yes. A big part of the reason that solar batteries are increasing in popularity is that they allow many homeowners greater control over their home energy usage. This means they have the chance to save money and rely less on grid-supplied energy, which tends to come from less environmentally friendly sources. 1
How “Time of Use” rates influence energy costs
Most homeowners use more energy in the morning before leaving for work, and then again in the evening after returning home. These peaks in demand put a strain on public utilities as they try to supply the right amount of electricity at all times. In order to deal with this, some utilities have introduced Time of Use (TOU) pricing to try to curb demand. If your utility is one of the many that has introduced a TOU rate structure then you’ll most likely be paying more for energy during times when you need it most.
How is solar energy produced during the day?
Solar power production typically peaks during max sunlight hours in the middle of the day, when most people are not home. Some utilities offer credits for excess solar energy production, but some public grid systems can’t handle the influx of solar energy that happens midday. In other words, solar production and homeowner demand don’t always match timewise.
How is solar battery storage part of an integrated solar energy system?
A solar home battery allows you to store cheaper solar energy produced during the day so that it can be used at times when you need it most—when the sun goes down and the rates go up.
Does Vivint Solar install home batteries?
Yes, we do. Vivint Solar partners with some of the most trusted names in solar battery technology to provide homeowners with reliable backup energy options.
What financing options are available for solar home batteries?
tery products and solutions for your situation. Below you’ll find a summary of financing options together with the locations where they’re available. 2
Power Purchase Agreement (PPA3): Available in California
1. Get solar-plus-battery with no money down.
2. We take care of the system design, permitting, paperwork, and installation at no additional cost to you.
3. Only pay for the power your panels produce with a fixed rate increase at 2.9%.
4. We provide system maintenance and performance monitoring at no additional cost to you.
Lease: Available in California, Hawaii, and Massachusetts
1. Get solar-plus-battery with no money down.
2. We take care of the system design, permitting, paperwork, and installation at no additional cost to you.
3. Get a fixed monthly payment for the first 12 months with a rate increase fixed at 2.9% annually.
4. Receive a power production guarantee, so you'll never overpay for solar. If your panels don't produce the amount we estimate, we'll send you a check to make up the difference.
5. We provide system maintenance and performance monitoring at no additional cost to you.
Loan: Available in California, Hawaii, and Utah
1. Get solar-plus-battery with no money down.
2. We take care of the system design, permitting, paperwork, and installation at no additional cost to you.
3. Enjoy one convenient monthly payment and a fixed interest rate.
4. Benefit from solar panel and solar storage tax incentives.4
Cash Purchase: Available in California, Hawaii, and Utah
1. Get solar-plus-battery with no money down.
2. We take care of the system design, permitting, paperwork, and installation at no additional cost to you.
3. No monthly payment associated with your solar energy system.
4. Benefit from solar panel and solar storage tax incentives.4
What other types of backup energy options are there?
The convenience of solar batteries, together with the fact that they allow homeowners to use clean power for backup, makes them a really popular choice. But there are other options. To learn more about these other options, check out Home Energy Storage in a Crisis. Here’s a quick list for easy reference:
- Gas generators
- Fuel cells
- Wind power
Meet other homeowners that are already powering their home their way
1 Individual homeowner’s savings will vary by utility, system production, energy consumption habits, equipment type, weather, and other factors. Vivint Solar does not guarantee savings on (i) customer’s energy costs, (ii) the existence of or pricing associated with a utility’s net metering program, (iii) the pricing of a utility’s residential rates, or (iv) the availability of any local, state, or federal incentives or tax credits.
2All plans and products are for qualified homeowners and are subject to availability. Please contact your Vivint Solar representative to see if you qualify.
3PPA bills are based on energy generated by the solar energy system per month and not on the amount of energy you use from the system. If the system does not produce enough electricity, you will need to buy electricity from your utility. Your overall electricity costs are affected by a number of factors, including your consumption of electricity, the price you pay the utility, and the amount of sun the solar energy system receives. In some situations, your overall electricity costs may be higher with a solar energy system, so it's important to discuss these questions with your Vivint Solar representative and weigh the cost versus benefit for your home.