Backup Power Systems
A backup power system is essential for ensuring that your home remains operational during grid power outages. While similar in concept to off-grid systems, backup systems maintain a connection to the primary power grid and may rely on it as the primary source of energy. Solar-powered backup systems are designed to provide a secondary power source, however unlike standby generators, solar power is generated and used every day and new system functionalities can be enabled.
Energy storage, in the form of batteries, is integrated with the solar power system to enhance its functionality by enabling the storage and usage of power at any time it's needed including nighttime hours. This can significantly reduce the need for excess solar power to be exported to the grid, thus increasing self-sufficiency.
Most backup power systems are designed to provide autonomy to a home for a minimum of 24 hours. However, the duration of backup power can vary depending on the system's capacity, seasonal variations, weather conditions, building efficiency, and usage patterns.
Backup power systems are typically configured in one of two ways:
Partial Backup: This configuration is utilized to back up essential loads, such as refrigeration, lighting, and most 120V appliances and outlets. Non-essential loads, or loads that consume excessive power, such as electric heating, electric clothes dryers, and electric saunas, are not included in this configuration and their circuits are transferred to a separate breaker panel where they are not backed up. This configuration is appropriate when the battery capacity is sized to support essential loads only.
Whole-House Backup: This configuration backs up all loads in the home, including larger 240V appliances such as HVAC and well pumps. This configuration is generally preferred for installation simplicity though it requires a larger battery capacity to improve backup performance and reliability with larger appliances.
Battery systems in backup power systems not only provide power during outages but also can reduce demand from the grid and lower power bills by storing excess solar energy for use during peak times. Time-of-use management is another feature that allows the system to further mitigate the cost of peak power charges.
An energy storage system (ESS) offers an advanced solution for backup power by integrating a battery and solar generator for improved performance. For maximum benefits, we recommend an ESS that is not only powerful but also easy to install and operate, and comes as a complete system under a single brand, with self-improvement capabilities. We highly recommend Tesla Powerwall for it's extraordinary engineering, reliability, and overall quality when it comes to backup power system options.
In conclusion, a backup power system can be configured as either partial or whole-house backup, depending on the specific requirements of the application. The duration of backup power is dependent on various factors such as load management, the capacity of the solar array, and the availability of sunlight.
