Grid-assisted solar power is the most popular form of residential solar power in America. There are two forms of grid-assisted solar power. Traditional grid-assisted solar power consists of a solar panel system that is connected to the grid. The system provides power to the home, any excess power is sent to the grid. At night, homes with a traditional grid-connected system draw power from the grid. The second kind of grid-connected system is the solar energy storage system. This system combines solar panels with home batteries to provide some power to the home during evening hours and in blackouts.
Why grid-assisted solar power is popular
The idea of going “off-grid” and generating all your electricity yourself may sound appealing until you find out how much it costs to go off-grid. There are also limitations to off-grid power. If the system breaks, or you use up all of your energy, the lights go off.
Systems that remain connected to the grid are less expensive and more reliable. You can choose to add batteries to a grid-connected system or not. Whatever you chose, if your system isn’t providing enough power, you simply draw the power you need from the grid. If your system has a problem, the grid is there to keep the lights on. Grid-assisted solar is the best choice in terms of cost and reliability for most homeowners.
Solar energy storage systems
Solar energy storage systems that remain connected to the grid make sense for homeowners with high peak time-of-use utility rates. During those peak-rate hours, the home draws power from the batteries that were generated during the day by the home’s solar system. The batteries in a grid-connected system don’t have enough capacity to entirely power the home, so the system remains connected to the grid. The batteries power the home during peak rate hours or in blackouts only.
Power during blackouts
During a blackout, a grid-connected solar energy storage system can provide power from its batteries to power selected circuits in the home. The homeowner can manage their electricity usage to ensure that they have enough energy to make it through the night. The batteries are then recharged the next day from the solar power generated by the system. This type of grid-connected solar system provides both savings during peak-rate hours, and reliability during blackouts.
Freedom Forever’s grid-assisted solar power systems
Freedom Forever provides both types of grid assisted solar systems. You’ll get 25 years of worry-free solar power production thanks to our 25-year production guarantee. If you choose to install home batteries, those batteries are covered by their manufacturer’s warranty. If you aren’t sure which type of system is right for you, our family of independent authorized dealers can help you decide.