A power outage can occur at any time and is usually not predictable. It can happen in the morning, noon and night, and there is no way of knowing when it’s going to occur.
Even if we had a way of knowing that a power blackout was going to happen, most areas don’t have backup generators installed that can handle all the homes and businesses’ electrical needs. This is why it’s important to invest in solar panels so that even when the power goes out, you will still have a reliable source of power.
When there is no more power coming from the city, you need to keep your family safe and comfortable, especially if they are old or very young. You can do this by using some of your solar panels’ power to heat up water in a solar kettle. This will make you have enough warm boiled water for washing the dishes, taking baths or even for drinking.
You can also use this method if you need to run any electrical appliances that are not very sensitive to fluctuating voltage levels.
Read on to find out how to use solar panels during power outage.
How to use solar panels during a power outage
The solar panels that you have at home will work during a power outage. You can use them to get electricity from the sun and supply your appliances with clean sustainable energy.
The off-grid solar panel system
This will work for several hours without power from the grid. The more solar panels you have, the longer they will keep working even when there is no power coming from the city.
If you are running appliances that use a lot of electricity, it’s best to run them during daylight so you can get more sunlight. If your appliances are only being used occasionally, you can just turn them off at night.
If you need to use an appliance that requires a lot of electricity, it’s best to charge the battery first before using it. This will ensure that your solar panel system is not drained of power since this appliance takes up most or all of its available energy.
Battery-based inverter
In case your battery storage is not enough, you can use a battery-based inverter. This will allow the appliances to run without having to worry about draining all the solar power.
The best time to use solar panels during a power outage is when it’s cloudy because the sun will still be able to give out some light and heat even if it’s not very bright. You can get enough solar power to keep your appliances running during the night.
If you are planning to use your solar panel system during a power outage, make sure that your batteries are in tip-top condition. This will ensure that even when there is no more electricity coming from the grid, you still have plenty of power to keep the house running.
Powering through blackout with a solar battery
Powering through blackout with a solar battery backup is a more reliable and environmentally-friendly choice. Any excess solar power that your panels generate during the day will be stored in your battery, so you can use it when there is no electricity coming from the grid.
Your appliances will still run efficiently during blackouts, only using the energy generated by your battery-backed solar panel system. A generator provides a temporary solution during a power outage, but it often runs on dirty fossil fuel. Instead of curbing your carbon footprint, you are actually adding to the problem by using generators that run on fuel.
With solar batteries, you will be able to rely on clean and renewable energy even if there is no electricity coming from the grid.
Advantages of using a grid-tied solar panel system
Economical
It is economical and saves money. Since it is very efficient, it requires low-cost equipment to install. The net metering ensures that you can save more money since your surplus electricity will be sent to the grid and then credited back to your account.
It has no batteries. This makes it very inexpensive and maintenance cost is affordable since there are no batteries required.
The grid works as a virtual battery
The electricity that you get from the grid is converted into DC power, which can then be stored in batteries. This means that you do not have to use a battery since the grid acts as your battery during non-peak hours or when there is a blackout.
If you need more power than what the solar panels are giving out, the excess will automatically be stored in the grid. This makes it a good solution if you have solar panels but still need more energy during a power outage or when you want to use heavy appliances that require too much electricity.
The battery will automatically recharge itself when the sun is shining on your solar panels, and this happens even when there is no excess power from your appliances. This means that you can expect the battery to last longer since it is recharged automatically by the solar panels during non-peak hours. It also saves you from buying a new battery, which will save you money.
As long as there is electricity coming from the grid, your home will be always powered, and this even if your solar panels are not receiving sunlight. When there is no electricity coming from the grid, you will always have power even if it is just a small amount of energy stored in your battery.
Advantages of using an off-grid solar panel system
Ideal for use in remote areas
Off-grid solar panel systems are ideal for use in remote areas where it is impossible to connect your home to the grid. They can be used in rural and wilderness areas with no access to the power grid. This makes it a very handy solution if you want to live or build a home in places that lack an electricity connection.
The cost of installing an off-grid system is also much cheaper than having electricity run into your home. The cost of setting up electricity poles and cables to connect to the grid can be extremely expensive, but for an off-grid system, it is simpler since you only need to set up your solar panels and connect them to the appliances in your house.
Energy sufficient
When you are off-the-grid, it is not easy to set up a connection if there is no electricity supply. This means that your solar panel system will provide you with all the energy that your house requires every day.
It has batteries for storing solar energy in case of non-peak hours. These batteries can also be used in remote areas where the sun only shines for a few hours. The batteries will automatically recharge during sunny days, and you can rely on it even if there is not enough sunlight due to weather changes or seasons.
Advantages of using a battery-backed solar panel system
Economical than the off-grid solar panel system
The battery-backed solar panel system is more affordable than the off-grid solar panel system. It costs a lot less since you will not need any batteries and inverters to connect your appliances to your panels. All your appliances will be directly powered by the electricity from the grid, which makes it very efficient and simple to run.
In case of a power outage, your solar panels will keep you supplied with energy
The grid-tied system is also known as the grid interactive solar panel system since it can send excess electricity to the grid. If you are not using all the electricity produced by your solar panels, any extra will automatically be sent to the grid and credited back to your account. This means that you will not have to worry about storing excess energy since any extra from the solar panels will automatically be fed into the grid and your account credited back.
Will solar panels offer electricity during a power outage?
The answer to this question is no; solar panels will not provide your home with electricity whenever there is a power outage. Nevertheless, there are only two options that will help solve this problem; having a system equipped with energy storage or forgoing the benefits of a grid-tied solar panel system and going for the off-grid solar panel system.
The first option involves having batteries to store the excess energy produced by your solar panels during daytime and using it when there is a power outage. This option is more expensive than having an off-grid system since you will need batteries to store all that extra electricity, which can be very costly.
The second option involves purchasing an off-grid solar panel system instead of a grid-tied system. This is ideal for people living in remote areas where the electricity supply is unreliable or non-existent. The main advantage of this type of system is that it runs with all the energy produced by your solar panels.
So, if there are several days with little to no sunlight, you do not need to worry about running out of power since you have a backup of stored energy from the solar panels. The cost of an off-grid system is also less expensive than having a battery-backed grid-tied system, which makes it ideal for people on a budget.
There are many reasons to use a solar panel system in your home or building. It runs on alternative energy that won’t cause harm to the environment, and you still get to enjoy all the energy that it provides.
With a battery-backed solar panel system or an off-grid solar panel system, you can have clean power in your home without contributing to any global warming effects.
Conclusion
If you live in a remote area or want to go off-grid, the benefits of an off-the grid solar panel system are clear: it’s cheaper and less complicated than a battery backed system. If your goal is having clean energy at home without contributing to global warming, then this article has given you everything that you need to know about purchasing either type of solar panel system for your needs.