Enhancing Solar with Battery Storage
As solar power becomes more entrenched on Australian homes, the integration of battery storage systems has emerged as a crucial component in maximising the efficiency and reliability of solar energy. In this blog post, we will explore how battery storage systems work, their benefits, and why they are an essential addition to your solar power setup.
How Battery Storage Systems Work
Battery storage systems store excess energy generated by solar panels during the day for use when the sun isn't shining. Here's a step-by-step overview of the process:
Energy Generation: Solar panels convert sunlight into electricity.
Energy Consumption: During daylight hours, the electricity generated is used to power your home or business.
Excess Energy: Any surplus energy that is not immediately used is sent to the grid where you’ll receive an ever-decreasing feed-in tariff.
Energy Storage: Here’s where a battery come in! Rather than wasting that power going back to the grid, the battery stores the excess energy for later use.
Energy Use During Non-Daylight Hours: When the sun sets or during cloudy periods, or if there is a grid outage, the stored energy is drawn from the battery to power your home or business.
Grid Integration: If the battery is fully charged and more energy is still being generated, that excess can be fed back into the grid (depending on your setup and local regulations), or even diverted to heating your hot water tank.
Benefits of Battery Storage Systems
1. Energy Independence
Battery storage systems provide greater energy independence by allowing you to use the energy generated by your solar panels even when the sun isn't shining. This reduces your reliance on the grid and protects you from fluctuating energy prices, and blackouts.
2. Enhanced Efficiency
With a battery storage system, you can ensure that the energy produced by your solar panels is fully utilised instead of sending excess power back to the grid at a low feed-in tariff rate.
3. Backup Power
CBR-installed batteries provide a reliable source of backup power during outages. In areas prone to power cuts, this is a significant advantage, ensuring that essential appliances and systems continue to operate.
4. Cost Savings
By storing excess energy and using it during peak hours when electricity rates are higher (as much as $0.70/kW in 2024), you can save on energy costs. Over time, these savings can offset the initial investment in a battery storage system.
4. Create a Virtual Power Plant (VPP)
You can actually make money by setting up your solar and battery as a Virtual Power Plant (VPP) where you trade your stored energy back to the grid during peak demand times. You will be paid a much higher rate for that energy than what you’d save by simply offsetting your home consumption. Talk to a CBR consultant about the various plans available.
5. Environmental Benefits
Using stored solar energy reduces the need for electricity generated from fossil fuels, contributing to a reduction in carbon emissions. This supports broader environmental goals and sustainability initiatives., and some state governments provide financial incentives to promote battery uptake.
6. Grid Stability
Batteries can also contribute to grid stability. By storing excess energy and releasing it when needed, these systems can help balance supply and demand, reducing the strain on the grid during peak times. This is becoming an issue for many electricity distributors as the unused energy from solar systems potentially overloads the grid during the middle of the day.
Battery Storage Systems: Tesla Powerwall and SolarEdge
Tesla Powerwall
The Tesla Powerwall is the most popular battery storage solution available. It offers a sleek design, high capacity, and advanced features such as:
Scalability: Multiple Powerwalls, each storing 13.5kWh of power, can be linked together to increase storage capacity.
Seamless Integration: The Powerwall integrates seamlessly with Tesla's solar products, EV charging, and the Tesla app, providing real-time monitoring and control.
Reliability: The Powerwall is known for its reliability and robust performance, even in challenging conditions. It comes with a 10 year product warranty.
SolarEdge Home Battery
SolarEdge offers advanced battery storage solutions designed to work optimally with SolarEdge inverters and other solar products. Key features include:
High Efficiency: SolarEdge batteries are designed to maximise the efficiency of your solar system and can store 10kWh of power.
Comprehensive Warranty: SolarEdge provides a comprehensive 10 year warranty, ensuring long-term performance and peace of mind.
Smart Energy Management: SolarEdge batteries come with intelligent energy management systems that optimise energy use and storage. If you use SolarEdge Power Optimisers, then this battery makes perfect sense for seamless integration.
Why Choose CBR for Your Battery Needs?
At CBR, we specialise in providing tailored solar and battery solutions to meet the unique needs of our clients. Here’s why you should consider us for your battery needs:
Expertise: Our team has extensive experience in designing and installing solar and battery storage systems.
Quality Products: We offer premium products from Tesla and SolarEdge which have proven themselves in the market in terms of operation and reliability. We’ve found other brands to be more difficult to set up and keep online as it really is software and communications hardware that make the difference.
Customer Support: Our commitment to excellent customer service ensures that you receive support throughout the installation and maintenance process. We have a 10 year workmanship guarantee on your battery installation.
Customised Solutions: We assess your energy needs and provide solutions that maximise efficiency and cost savings. We also have the knowledge and technical expertise to make sure your installation complies with the myriad rules and regulations around battery storage.
Conclusion
Battery storage plays a vital role in enhancing the efficiency and reliability of solar power. By storing excess energy for later use, batteries provide numerous benefits, including energy independence, cost savings, and environmental sustainability. At CBR, we are dedicated to helping you harness the full potential of solar energy with top-tier battery storage solutions. Contact us today to learn more.