Back in 2015, automaker Tesla Motors set its sights on the home energy storage market and announced the launch of its home battery product, the Tesla Powerwall.
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The Enphase Energy System: what are its four configurations?
One question that homeowners commonly ask during the solar installation process is whether they can power their homes with just solar panels in the event of an outage – typically the answer is no, you’ll also need storage for a safe and reliable setup that can keep the lights on. However, Enphase made headlines in October 2021 with the announcement of a new configuration of the Enphase Energy System which is, in fact, capable of providing off-grid functionality to homeowners without storage installed (with a few caveats).
In a two-part series, we’re explaining everything you need to know about the Enphase Energy System. In part one, we discussed the components that make up the Enphase Energy System. In this article (part two of our series) we’ll explain how the components can be configured into different setups: you can choose from four different configurations, depending on the level of backup you want or need.
Continue readingThe Enphase IQ Battery: the complete review
Enphase is one of the biggest names in solar inverter technology, and in 2019 the company announced its foray into energy storage with the Enphase Encharge, which was rebranded as the Enphase IQ Battery in 2021.
Continue readingThe Blue Planet Energy Blue Ion HI complete review
Blue Planet Energy is a US-based battery manufacturer on a mission to eliminate the use of carbon-based fuels while powering the world with reliable, affordable, clean energy. Their Lithium Ferrous Phosphate (LFP) batteries boast safety and are backed by leading warranties, making them compelling products for anyone looking to install a battery system. Their newest product, the Blue Ion HI, is a powerful, safe, and sleek battery system built in the USA that pairs well with solar panel systems.
Continue readingThe Panasonic EverVolt home battery complete review
In 2019, Panasonic, one of the world’s largest battery cell manufacturers, officially launched their own residential battery storage product: the EverVolt. A scalable storage system with both AC and DC-coupled configurations, the EverVolt can provide plenty of back-up energy for your home in the event of a grid outage, especially when paired with a solar panel system.
Continue readingThe LG RESU Prime complete review
LG is one of the biggest names in energy storage. Their original battery, the RESU, is one of the most popular models in the industry. Now, their newest model–RESU Prime–is out; it’s a fully integrated energy storage system that includes an inverter and smart energy management software at a more compact size than the original. If you have solar on your property and install a home battery like the RESU Prime, you can store excess solar electricity to use later in the day or during power outages. As a result, properties with solar-plus-storage can increase their total monthly savings in certain markets.
Continue readingWhat is peak demand and how can you reduce it?
The electricity grid is designed to provide reliable electricity service to all homes and businesses at all times of year. To ensure that whenever you flip a switch in your home that the electricity turns on, the grid has to both produce enough electrons to match the electricity that everyone is using throughout the course of the year as well as enough to power everything that’s turned on at the same time. That second ability–making sure there’s enough power to go around at the times when it’s most needed–is peak demand.
Continue readingThe sonnen ecoLinx home battery complete review
Battery maker sonnen’s “luxury” battery offering – the ecoLinx – is more than just an energy storage device: the ecoLinx syncs your entire property’s energy usage together to efficiently and intelligently manage how you use energy in your home, all without disrupting your lifestyle. Especially when combined with a solar energy system, the sonnen ecoLinx is a powerful and smart home energy management system. (Note: check out our review of sonnen’s other primary product line–the eco–here.)
Continue readingThe SolarEdge Energy Bank complete review
SolarEdge has long been a leader in the solar industry, offering some of the most popular inverters and DC power optimizers worldwide. In October 2021, the company made a big announcement: in addition to an upgraded version of their Energy Hub Inverter, they launched their own home battery solution – the Energy Bank. These new product launches are part of SolarEdge’s new home energy solution called SolarEdge Home, designed to easily integrate solar-plus-storage with a number of SolarEdge smart home devices, including the SolarEdge Home Electric Vehicle (EV) Charger.
Storage is an integral part of the transition to smart electric homes and SolarEdge is joining the growing list of companies to release new solar battery technology. So how does SolarEdge’s Energy Bank differ from these companies and what makes it unique?
Continue readingThe Eguana Evolve home battery complete review
Eguana is a 20-year-old battery company based out of Alberta. Their battery systems use the same reliable cores as LG Chem’s RESU line, so you know you’re getting tested quality and performance reliability in a home battery. One of their more recent products, the Eguana Evolve, is becoming an increasingly popular addition to solar panel systems across the country.
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