Complete Guide to Picking a Solar Battery for Your Business
This article is your complete guide to installing the best solar battery for your business. Because if you’ve taken the plunge and invested in installing solar panels for your business, we recommend you look into installing an energy storage system using a solar battery to maximize the benefits of using renewable energy. Battery energy storage, in general, is always a smart decision as it improves the reliability of your power source and helps decrease your energy bill while increasing your sustainability.
As energy technology continues to advance, it’s important to keep up with renewable energy trends and innovations available to you that will upgrade the way you manage your energy consumption. At Aggressive Energy, we have access to the most efficient energy resources and are dedicated to creating an energy plan that maximizes our client’s ROI. Contact us today to see what we can do for you!
If you’re ready to learn more about solar battery energy storage systems, read on!
What is a Battery Energy System?
Battery energy storage systems store excess energy generated by solar panels and/or other renewable power sources to use when needed later. They typically include built-in software that is used to operate and control the system. With their simple installation and low level of required maintenance, we believe solar batteries are the future of energy storage.
How do solar battery backups work?
- The battery is charged by solar panels
- The system software optimizes the use of stored solar energy
- Stored energy is discharged when you need it, and/or at the most cost-effective times
So instead of transferring any unused solar energy to the grid, you’ll use that energy to charge your solar battery storage system. Then, if you use electricity after the sun has set, you’ll draw from your solar battery instead of the grid.
Advantages of Solar Battery Energy Storage Systems
With a solar battery energy storage system, you’ll have the option of using electricity from the grid or your solar battery. This gives consumers more power over their energy consumption and monthly bill. Here are the main advantages of battery energy storage systems.
Batteries allow you to peak-shave energy prices
You can save a lot of money with on-site battery energy storage by charging the batteries during off-peak hours when electricity pricing is the cheapest. This process is called peak-shaving because it allows you to use energy during peak hours without paying peak price. Batteries can accomplish this in two ways depending on the type of rate plan you’re on. If you are on a time-of-use or other time-varying rate, you can draw electricity from your solar battery during periods during peak hours. If you are on a demand charge rate – which is more common for commercial businesses – battery storage can help you save money each month by lowering your demand fee.
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Storage battery systems help reduce carbon footprint
Not only do batteries make it easy to use energy efficiently by making sure you use what you generate, but they’re also a great way to operate sustainably. Renewable energy battery storage for resources like solar power decreases your energy system’s reliance on the grid, which was powered only 12% by renewable resources in 2020. It ensures that you use all of the clean energy generated from your solar panels, making you less likely to use nonrenewable resources thus cutting down your direct and indirect carbon emissions.
Battery storage gives peace of mind during outages
While you will remain connected to the grid, you will be able to function “off-grid.” By using a combination of solar power and energy storage you’ll be able to keep your power on and functioning normally, even during a storm or power outage. If you only have a solar panel system without a battery and there’s a power outage, then you’ll be without power, even on a sunny day. This is because your solar panel system will automatically shut down during a power outage to avoid sending electricity onto transmission lines to reduce risk for utility personnel as they attempt to repair them.
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Do You Need a Solar Panel Battery Storage System?
Now that you understand how battery storage works, it’s important to give some thought to if you actually need to install it at your business and how you plan to use the energy. Here are some of the most common reasons business owners tend to install solar power battery storage at their building:
- Business owners looking to power their entire business with off-peak priced electricity stored on the battery storage system
- Business owners looking to become energy efficient
- Business owners looking to power a specific piece of equipment
- Business owners looking to maximize their ROI on solar equipment upgrade
How to Choose the Best Solar Battery For You
When researching the best battery energy storage options, there are a variety of possible decision criteria and comparative points to consider. Below are a few things to keep in mind as you make your decision.
Solar battery life expectancy
The battery’s lifespan is essentially how long it will store energy. Solar battery units have a lifespan of between five and fifteen years, while solar panels have a lifespan of about 25 years. However, your batteries life expectancy can possibly be extended depending on the type of battery it is, its usage cycle, the temperature of the location in which it’s installed, its warranty, and how often it goes through maintenance.
Battery round-trip efficiency
The round-trip efficiency of a storage system is the percentage of electricity stored that is later retrieved. The greater round-trip efficiency a battery has, the less energy it loses during the storing process. Every electrical process involves losses, which means that you will lose some kWh of electricity when inverting it from direct current to alternating current, or when putting electricity into and then taking it out of a battery.
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Solar battery storage capacity
Always look for a battery’s useable capacity, as this indicates the amount of stored electricity that the battery can actually access. This is the amount of electricity that it can store and supply to your building. While power is measured in kW, storage capacity is measured in kWh, which is equal to power multiplied by time. The more power you use from the battery’s stores, the faster you deplete your stored energy. So just be sure you consider how often you plan to use the solar panel battery storage system so you know what storage capacity you need.
Find the best battery storage company
You can research this on your own, or you can utilize the knowledge of a trusted energy provider like Aggressive Energy. We’ll help you compare the types of solar batteries available to you to ensure you choose one from the highest-quality manufacturer. Reach out to our team today to get started!