It’s in 2019. Can we live in a world that is entirely powered by solar? Not quite, but it is no longer a fancied world now.
Recent research indicates that 74% of people shopping for home solar power are also interested in home energy storage. And while fewer than 20% of people who buy solar end up with a battery to go along with it, there are signs that might be changing soon.
The way you save money with a home battery is by avoiding the high cost of on-peak electricity under a time-of-use (TOU) billing plan. On a TOU billing plan, electricity is cheap when most people aren’t using it (i.e. nights and weekends), and more expensive when they are. Most TOU plans charge the highest prices during the afternoon and evening hours when people are cooking, watching TV, and washing and drying their clothes. Oftentimes, TOU rates vary by season, with higher prices and longer peak hours in the summer when air conditioning causes extra-high spikes in energy usage.
Here’s an example of how TOU works using past rates from Southern California Edison’s TOU-D-B schedule (subject to change, of course):
You can save money with a home battery by setting it up to charge only from electricity produced by your panels or from both the panels and the grid. In either case, the key is to discharge the battery when electricity is the most expensive. By completely removing your on-peak use, you’re effectively bringing your electricity rates down, to as low as off-peak prices if you can swing it.
So, now you have an idea of how solar home battery can benefit you and your home. Home battery storage is cheaper than ever, and new incentives available both nationally and in certain states are making going solar with batteries a smart move in more ways than one.