Tag Archives: solar batteries

home with solar panels and a battery

Does solar-plus-storage still work during an outage?

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Reading Time: 3 minutes

Battery storage paired with solar panels is a great way to save money on electricity bills in the long term, especially with new rate plans like time-of-use becoming more prevalent. But does adding a battery mean you’ll be able to produce, store, and use electricity with solar when the grid is down? Do you even need a battery? In this article, we’ll dissect how solar and storage can make for an effective grid resiliency technique.

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lumin complete review

An overview of Lumin’s energy management system

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Reading Time: 4 minutes

When thinking about installing a solar or a solar-plus-storage system at your home or business, there’s one piece of information that is of the utmost importance: how much electricity do you use, and which of your home appliances use that electricity. That’s exactly where Lumin can help: the three-year-old, Charlottesville, Virginia-based company is joining the relatively nascent field of creating smart circuits, allowing you to dynamically choose or automate what to power with your solar and storage, which is especially useful in the event of an outage.

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off grid with solar

Going off-grid with solar: what does it mean and how much will it cost? (Part 2)

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Reading Time: 5 minutes

This is Part 2 of a two-part series that explores the economics of going completely off-grid with solar. Part 1 focuses on what it actually means to go “off-grid” and how to start thinking about calculating the costs for cutting the cord with your utility. Part 2 discusses two real-world examples of sizing an off-grid solar energy system, along with the feasibility of going through with an off-grid solution. Check out Part 1 here.

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off grid with solar panels

Going off-grid with solar: what does it mean and how much will it cost? (Part 1)

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Reading Time: 7 minutes

This is Part 1 of a two-part series that explores the economics of going completely off-grid with solar. Part 1 focuses on what it actually means to go “off-grid” and how to start thinking about calculating the costs for cutting the cord with your utility. Part 2 discusses two real-world examples of sizing an off-grid solar energy system, along with the feasibility of going through with an off-grid solution. Check out Part 2 here.

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ac coupled vs dc coupled batteries

AC vs. DC solar battery coupling: what you need to know

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Reading Time: 4 minutes

Solar batteries are becoming popular additions to solar energy projects of all scales. When it comes to the way your solar panels, batteries, and inverters are all wired together on your property, there are two main options: alternating current (AC) coupling and direct current (DC) coupling. Both AC and DC coupling have advantages and drawbacks that are dependent on the specifics of your solar plus storage installation.

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utility scale battery storage plant

Utility-scale battery storage: what you need to know

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Reading Time: 4 minutes

With the declining cost of energy storage technology, solar batteries are becoming an increasingly popular addition to solar installations. However, it’s not just residential and commercial solar shoppers who benefit from installing energy storage. In fact, utility-scale battery storage is increasingly playing a major role in the operation of the electric grid, providing cost savings, environmental benefits and new flexibility for the grid. 

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islanding with solar batteries

Solar islanding with batteries: what you need to know

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Reading Time: 3 minutes

Battery storage is becoming increasingly popular throughout the US. This is particularly true in parts of the country that are impacted by frequent electrical outages, whether due to natural disasters or otherwise. A big reason why storage is popular in these areas is due to storage’s ability to “island”. 

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solar generator

Is a solar generator right for you? Solar generators and pros and cons compared

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Reading Time: 5 minutes

Solar isn’t just for rooftops – you can use portable solar products like solar generators as a backup power source if the grid goes down, or as a source of electricity on an RV or boating trip. Read on to learn more about home solar power generators.

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Battery backup power vs. generators: which is right for you?

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Reading Time: 4 minutes

If you live in an area with frequent power outages, you already know the benefits of having backup power installed at your home. Propane, diesel, and natural gas-powered generators have long been the system of choice for homeowners and businesses that want to ensure that the lights stay on when the power goes out in the neighborhood. Now, an increasing number of people are considering newer, cleaner battery options like the Tesla Powerwall.

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