How to Prepare for the Next Nor’easter Power Outage
When a Nor’easter rolls through New England, you need to be prepared! Most storm prep lists will encourage you to stock up on food and have some entertainment ready for your kids in case you’re stuck in the house for a while. But having a full fridge and a pile of movies to watch won’t do you any good if the power goes out.
The single most important thing you can do to prepare for a Nor’easter is to install a backup power system for your home.
Best Power Backup for Home: Solar Battery Storage
You have two main options when it comes to home power backup: a generator or a solar battery.
- Solar battery – Stores excess solar power generated by a rooftop solar panel system. Can be used for backup power at any time, including during a power outage.
- Generator – Burns fossil fuels like natural gas or propane to produce power for your home.
There are pros and cons to both, but when you weigh them, solar batteries come out on top. Solar batteries use clean, renewable energy to power your home while generators burn fossil fuels. Solar batteries are also more reliable; the sun is always available to recharge your batteries during the day, but generators rely on a fuel source that has to be delivered. If there’s a fuel shortage, or if the roads are blocked and a fuel delivery truck can’t get through, you won’t be able to use your generator.
Solar Panels Alone Won’t Keep Your Power On During an Outage
Many homeowners are surprised to learn that installing solar panels alone will not keep the lights on during a Nor’easter outage. This is because home solar panels are connected to the electric grid. The connection allows you to earn net metering credits by sending the excess electricity your solar panels generate to the grid, but it also poses a risk to utility workers. An unexpected surge of electricity coming from your solar panels could be deadly to a technician repairing damaged power lines.
To keep your solar panels on during a power outage, you need a solar battery. The battery gives your solar panels a place to store the excess electricity they generate so they can operate independently of the electric grid. During a power outage, solar panel plus battery systems will temporarily disconnect from the electric grid and operate in island mode until it comes back online.
Benefits of Battery Backup for Home Power Outages
Solar batteries are a smart choice for home backup power in New England.
- Reliable – As long as the sun comes up in the morning, your solar battery will recharge daily.
- Quiet – Unlike backup generators, solar batteries operate silently.
- Low maintenance – Solar batteries require almost zero maintenance.
- No fuel costs – There are no refueling costs associated with solar battery backup. Once you install your battery, the sun will power it.
- Tax credits – Solar battery storage qualifies for a 30% federal tax credit.
- Clean – Solar batteries use renewable energy to provide backup power to your home.
Get a Reliable Backup Power Supply for Your Home ASAP
Don’t wait until it’s too late to install home backup power! The weather is getting crazier every year and severe storms are becoming the norm. Boston Solar can help you prepare now with a solar panel and battery backup system for your home. We are the leading local solar installer in New England and we install solar batteries from leading brands, including FranklinWH.
