Solar battery storage ensures your switch to solar energy is dependable by allowing you to store excess solar power and use it whenever needed. Stronghold Engineering, a leader in renewable energy solutions, has designed and integrated battery storage systems for companies, organizations, and governmental entities across Southern California and the Inland Empire.
Solar panels are great at generating clean energy during the day, but they can’t produce electricity at night. This is where solar battery storage comes in. A solar battery stores excess solar energy generated during the day for later use. Solar battery storage benefits for Southern California businesses include:
Increased self-sufficiency: By storing solar energy, you can rely less on the traditional power grid, especially during peak demand hours.
Reduced electricity bills: You can use the stored energy to offset the need to buy electricity from the grid, potentially lowering your electricity bills.
Grid stability: Battery storage can help stabilize the electricity grid by providing power when renewable energy sources like solar are unavailable.
Overall, solar battery storage is a key technology for making renewable energy systems more reliable and efficient. As battery technology develops, California solar battery storage is expected to become even more affordable and widespread.
Here’s how a battery backup works in your system:
Sunlight hits the solar panels, generating direct current (DC) electricity through the photovoltaic effect.
The inverter converts the DC electricity to usable alternating current (AC) electricity as needed. The charge controller regulates the charging process for the battery bank, ensuring the battery doesn’t get overcharged and maximizing its lifespan.
Here, excess DC electricity, not used immediately, is stored through electrochemical reactions. Lithium-ion batteries are commonly used due to their efficiency and lifespan.
This is the intelligence behind the entire operation. It monitors energy production, consumption, and battery levels. It directs power flow, prioritizing solar usage and grid connection when needed. During outages, it seamlessly switches to battery power.
Sunlight hits the solar panels, generating DC electricity.
The inverter converts the DC electricity to AC electricity for powering appliances, lights, computers, and more.
Any excess DC power goes to the charge controller.
The charge controller directs this excess DC power to the battery bank for storage.
When sunlight is unavailable (nighttime or outages), the system switches to using the stored DC energy in the battery bank.
The inverter converts this DC battery power back to AC electricity to keep everything running.
Solar battery backup systems offer a more independent and resilient energy solution. By storing excess solar energy, you can maximize self-consumption, reduce reliance on the grid, and have backup power during outages and peak demand periods.
Financial incentives can greatly reduce the financial outlay involved in setting up solar battery storage. California businesses looking for savings often benefit from one or more of these programs:
Federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC): Get 30% of the total system cost, including installation and equipment, credited against your federal taxes.
Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP): This California battery storage incentive program allows your business to earn extra tax credits specific to your system size when combining solar panels with a battery.
California Property Tax Exclusion (through 2024): This program prevents the increased property value from solar panel and battery systems from increasing your company’s property taxes.
Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Financing: Your company can pay for a solar system and battery through a voluntary property tax assessment, potentially making it more affordable.
There are a variety of options when it comes to the components, system design, and capacity of solar battery storage. California businesses have some choices to make:Â
Lithium-ion (Li-ion): The most popular choice due to high efficiency, long lifespan, and relatively fast charge/discharge rates. Ideal for most applications.
Lead-acid: A mature and cost-effective technology, but with shorter lifespans and slower response times. Suitable for backup power systems with lower cycle requirements.
Flow Batteries: Offer long lifespans and large capacities, making them suitable for long-duration energy storage applications. This is still evolving technology with slightly higher costs.
Behind-the-Meter (BTM): The most common setup, where the battery storage system is located on-site at the commercial or industrial facility. Ideal for self-consumption and peak shaving applications.
Front-of-the-Meter (FTM): Large-scale systems located at utility substations. These batteries provide grid stability and support renewable energy integration across a wider area.
kW/kWh Ratings: Battery systems are sized based on kilowatt (kW) output (power delivery rate) and kilowatt-hour (kWh) capacity (total energy storage).
Scalable Solutions: Many systems can be modularly scaled to meet the specific energy requirements of a business.
Peak Shaving: Store excess solar energy during the day and discharge it during peak demand hours to reduce reliance on the grid and lower electricity bills.
Backup Power: Provide backup power in grid outages, ensuring critical operations remain uninterrupted.
Demand Charge Reduction: Offset peak energy use and avoid high demand charges levied by utilities.
Renewable Energy Integration: Store excess renewable energy (solar, wind) for later use, improving grid stability and reliability.
Safety Features: Battery storage systems have built-in safety features to prevent overheating or fires.
System Monitoring: Remote monitoring allows for real-time performance tracking and ensures optimal operation.
By understanding these different types and factors, you can choose a commercial and industrial battery storage solution that best fits your energy needs and budget.
When choosing a contractor for your commercial or industrial solar battery storage solution, Stronghold Engineering stands out as a reliable and experienced partner. We will work with you to evaluate your solar power usage and applications, then design and integrate a battery system that meets your needs in the most efficient manner possible.Â
With a proven track record exceeding 18 years in renewable energy, Stronghold has the deep expertise needed to design and implement a successful, high-quality project. By choosing Stronghold Engineering, you gain the peace of mind that comes from partnering with a trusted leader in the renewable energy industry, ensuring a smooth project execution and a high-performing solar battery storage solution for your business.
Don’t delay! Get started on a solar battery storage solution for your California business that will allow you to reap the benefits of renewable energy that is available whenever you need it and enjoy energy savings, self-sufficiency, and greater grid stability!