How do solar battery storage systems work for your home?

The installation of solar power in homes has seen tremendous growth over the past decade. With ever-increasing electricity prices and a focus on being kinder to the environment and reducing the carbon footprint we have on the planet, many Australians have turned to cleaner, renewable energy such as solar power.

If you don’t yet have solar power installed but are considering a solar system for home in the near future, you might be curious about how solar power actually works, and in particular, how the solar battery storage systems work.

We’ll take a closer look at modern-day residential solar panels and solar batteries and discover why solar electricity is a good choice and that it’s an efficient and reliable way for you to power up your home.

The Residential Solar Power Electricity System

In the simplest and most brief explanations, solar power works by harnessing the heat from the sun and basically converting light into electricity.

So, how does a residential solar electricity system achieve this?

It first starts with the solar panel array, which is generally mounted on the roof of the house in a location that receives the most sunlight throughout the day. Solar panels for home are generally made from silicon photovoltaic (PV) cells, which absorb the sun’s rays and convert them into electricity by a photovoltaic effect.

As this electricity is a direct current, and household appliances are designed to operate on an alternating current, the electricity must first pass through an inverter so it’s changed from DC to AC current. For your household to make use of this solar power, this AC current is directed to the home’s switchboard.

If solar energy is available, the switchboard will give first preference to solar power, only switching to the power grid for electricity supply when there is no solar electricity available to consume. Alternatively, excess solar electricity is reverted back into the power grid. This earns you credit on any electricity bills due and in some cases, may even make you money.

Everything is handled automatically. There’s never any need to remember to switch on or switch off solar power. Your solar electricity system and switchboard handles this on your behalf.

What Are Solar Battery Storage Systems and How Do They Work?

Without a solar battery as an integral part of the solar power system, there would be no way to harness electricity. The power from the sun hitting the solar cells and being converted into electricity can be used as it’s generated, but with no battery, it can’t be stored for use when the sun goes down. Solar batteries have improved immensely over the years and today, some solar batteries on the market can store enough harnessed solar power to run a household right through to the next day when the sun comes up again.

Basically, any solar power than is not used within the home during the day charges the battery, so there is electricity available after dark.

If your home is connected to the power grid, technically you don’t need a battery to operate a solar power system. When the sun is out, solar powers up your home. When the sun goes down, your home reverts to receiving its power from the grid.

In order to render solar power more self-sufficient, a quality solar battery can store enough power that you won’t have to rely on the power grid so much, if at all.

One of the very best solar batteries for residential use on the market today is the Tesla Powerwall. This ultra-modern battery is state of the art and enables homeowners to get the absolute most out of their solar power array. It’s a great choice as it has a high storage capacity and is equipped with intuitive technology that can sense blackouts, weather situations and more.

There are quite a few top-quality solar batteries available today, so shop around for the best match for your requirements.

 

The Wrap

Investing in solar power for your home will save you loads on those pesky electricity bills and you’ll also be playing your part in helping the environment, by taking advantage of the sun and using a sustainable energy source.