How Do Solar Batteries Help When It’s Overcast?

Solar batteries have many benefits, from helping you save money on your electricity bills to reducing your reliance on fossil fuels. But, one of the most significant solar battery benefits is their ability to power your home during a storm. 

Summer storms are a frequent occurrence here in Massachusetts, and they vary in severity. Sometimes, a rain cloud will block out the sun for a few hours. On other occasions, a serious thunderstorm will roll through and knock out power lines, leaving homeowners across the state without electricity for hours and even days on end. Solar battery storage can help in both of these situations. Here’s how:   

Use Solar Power on a Cloudy Day 

The amount of electricity your solar panels can generate depends on how much sunlight is available, which means they may not produce as much electricity on overcast days as they do on clear ones. Because of this, you may have to supplement your solar power with grid-generated electricity on an especially cloudy or stormy day.

If you have a backup solar battery installed, you’ll be able to power your residential home with stored energy whenever the sun isn’t shining. This will help you save money on your electricity bills and further reduce your reliance on the grid, leading to a lower carbon footprint and greater energy independence. 

Power Your Home During a Blackout 

When a serious storm rolls through and the electric grid goes down, your solar system shuts down too — unless you have a solar battery. If you have a solar battery installed, your solar panels will work during a power outage in an ‘off-grid’ mode. So, when it’s too cloudy for your solar panels to generate electricity, you’ll be able to use the stored energy from your solar battery during the storm.

If the sun comes out before power is restored to the grid, your solar panels will start generating electricity, which can power your home and recharge your batteries, ensuring you have power 24/7.  

What is a Solar Battery? 

A solar battery is an energy storage device that’s connected to your solar panel system. When your solar panels are producing more electricity than your home needs, the excess energy is used to charge your solar batteries. This gives you a backup power source that you can use to protect your home during a power outage. You can also use your solar batteries to power your home at night, helping you avoid high electricity rates when your solar panels are not generating electricity. 

Solar batteries can also help you earn more money through solar incentives like SMART and ConnectedSolutions, and they may also qualify you for the Investment Tax Credit. 

Learn More About Whole Home Solar Battery Storage 

Wondering whether your home needs a solar battery? Reach out to Boston Solar today. We’ve completed thousands of solar installations throughout Massachusetts and can help you find the right energy storage solution for your needs, including Tesla Powerwall and Enphase Encharge.

Whether you’re interested in adding a solar battery to your existing solar system or want to install solar plus battery storage, Boston Solar is the Massachusetts solar company to trust. We’re a 100% locally owned and operated company, and we’ve completed over 4,500 solar installations. 
 

Protect your home during a power outage. Install a solar battery today! Call 617-858-1645 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.