Tag Archives: solar batteries

Everything you need to know about the Sunrun Brightbox solar package

Batteries are becoming a popular addition to solar panel systems throughout the U.S. and across the globe. Energy storage can provide backup power if the grid goes down and can also help maximize savings in utility territories that have time-of-use (TOU) rates or unfavorable net metering policies.

Solar companies are picking up on the trend – many have started offering battery installation as a service to pair with a solar panel system. The largest residential solar installer in the country, Sunrun, has a “solar plus storage” option known as the Brightbox package. Brightbox is available in Hawaii, Arizona, California, New York, and –most recently– Massachusetts.

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Solar battery banks: use solar panels and batteries to power your home without the grid

Home energy storage has featured frequently in the news over the past few months thanks to new battery products from companies like Tesla, LG and Mercedes-Benz. These products are popular for a reason: when you pair solar panels with a battery bank at your home or business, you can actually operate independently from the electric grid. However, not all solar batteries are created equal. Here’s the rundown on what it actually takes to use a solar panel battery bank to go off the grid.

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Can I go off the grid with solar batteries? Excess solar energy explained

Newer, more efficient solar panels and inverters have been in the news recently, but advancements in solar technology aren’t limited to standard equipment. Energy storage is also moving closer to mass-market adoption, and more installers are offering solar batteries and solar panel battery banks (a.k.a. solar-plus-storage) as an option for homeowners.

Solar-plus-storage systems include a battery that captures and stores the excess solar energy generated by the PV system, opening up the possibility of going “off the grid” – a tempting proposition for homeowners who want to sever their connection with utility companies by using renewable energy. As solar batteries become cheaper and more accessible for homeowners, more people are wondering, “Can I use solar batteries to go off the grid with my solar panel system?”

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Solar Panels and Electric Cars: Can I Use Solar as an EV charger?

Solar panels and electric cars are a match made in heaven ­– when you install a solar energy system on your home, you can use it to both power your home and charge your electric car for emissions-free transportation. The cost of solar is falling rapidly, and companies from Tesla to Nissan are manufacturing electric cars for your daily use. Now, the ability to install a solar PV system large enough to power both your home and your car is an option within reach. But even with incentives and rebates available for both technologies, most homeowners still can’t afford to install solar and buy an electric car at the same time. Luckily, it’s easy to install a solar energy system today that takes your future electricity consumption into account, if you take a few additional factors into consideration.

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How safe are solar batteries for your home?

One of the best ways to take full advantage of solar energy is to install an energy storage system along with your solar panels. Solar batteries allow you to store the excess energy produced by your solar system for later use when the sun isn’t shining. Batteries are complex products, and it is important to understand the safety implications of installing a home solar battery.

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Maryland home energy storage rebate program makes solar batteries affordable

The state of Maryland has taken its place alongside California and Massachusetts as a leader in energy storage, thanks to a new piece of legislation that establishes a state tax credit for batteries.

The Maryland solar battery rebate program offers a financial incentive worth thousands of dollars to homeowners and businesses looking to purchase batteries that can store energy on-site. With this tax incentive, the Old Line State becomes the first in the country to offer a direct financial boost to energy storage installations.

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What is a “storage-ready” solar installation? Four leading inverter manufacturers share their thoughts

Solar plus storage is a rapidly advancing technology that makes it possible to both generate and store solar energy onsite for backup power. Solar batteries can also help homeowners and businesses maximize solar energy use onsite. The cost of installing a battery is high today, but prices are falling rapidly. As a result, many property owners are installing a solar panel system now and planning to add energy storage later on.

How can you ensure that you’re set up for success when you decide to move forward with a solar battery for your home or business? Designing a “storage-ready” solar panel system is the first step. EnergySage interviewed four solar inverter manufacturers to offer more insight into the concept of “storage-ready” solar. The highlights and key takeaways from each manufacturer are below, and links to each company’s full range of responses on storage-ready solar are at the bottom of this article.

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Solar news: Solar industry growing at 17x rate of U.S. economy, SolarWorld joins Suniva tariff case

solar industry momentum

It was an active week in the solar industry with news of unprecedented solar job growth and the launch of a few sleek new products. A new IRENA report that revealed solar jobs are growing 17 times faster than the U.S. economy, SolarWorld’s newfound support of Suniva’s trade petition and Mercedes Benz’ new home storage product are the big headlines from this week’s Solar News Report.

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