☀️ Exploring Solar Power Reliability During Blackouts

With increasing environmental awareness in the 21st century, buying solar energy systems has become a very popular solution for Australian homeowners to reduce their environmental footprint and save money on energy costs. However, when a power outage occurs, do solar panels still work? It is of utmost importance to have a clear understanding of what your solar system can and cannot do in the case of a blackout.

Why Standard Solar Systems Shut Down in Blackouts

Because they’re engineered to be fed by the grid, standard, grid-connected solar systems are required by law to shut down automatically during blackouts for safety reasons. The automatic shutdown is necessary to prevent solar arrays from providing electricity to the grid when repair workers are out restoring it. That would put the workers at risk of electrocution if they thought the line was de-energised. The safety feature means that any home with a standard solar system, whether it has panels or not, will go dark along with every other home during a blackout.

The Role of Hybrid and Off-Grid Systems

Solar-powered households looking to bolster their resilience during power outages will have the option of adding hybrid or off-grid solar systems with battery storage, which can hold power during grid shutdowns.

Hybrid systems: These are still grid-connected but also have battery storage to capture excess solar generation. In the event of a blackout, the system can island (disconnect from the grid) and power your home via the stored energy. In other words, you can keep your critical appliances running uninterrupted.

Off-Grid Systems: Utterly independent from the municipal power grid, off-grid systems use only solar panels and battery storage; they’re a great choice for rural locations or homeowners committed to complete energy independence. An off-grid system requires careful planning to size the system properly for all a home’s energy needs.

Benefits of Battery Storage

Adding battery storage to a solar system boosts flexibility and energy security. In a normal operating scenario, any excess electricity generated by the solar system can be stored in the batteries instead of being fed back into the grid. That stored energy can then be used at night or at other times of high tariff, further reducing electricity bills. Most importantly, in a blackout, those batteries can provide power for the most critical home functions, including lighting, refrigeration and medical devices.

Financial Incentives and Advances

The price premium to add battery storage has been significant, given that most homeowners investing in solar panels haven’t been able to afford the extra cost. Once again, however, advancing technology and scaling economies are slowly working to reduce costs, and government incentives and rebates are helping to further reduce the initial investment.

Choosing the Right Setup

Consider the following factors when choosing the right setup for your solar power system:

• How long you expect to live at your current residence.
• Whether you anticipate needing more or less electricity in the future.
• Whether you anticipate lowering your electricity consumption and usage in the future.
• Whether you plan to rent or sell your home in less than 10 years.
• Whether you want to be a good neighbour by limiting your draw on the grid.
• Whether you want to be self-sufficient if there were a power failure.
• Whether you can afford to pay for the capital expense of the installation and maintenance costs.
• Whether you are able to finance the installation through your utility company.

Think about your household’s energy needs, and make a list of the essential appliances you will need to power through a blackout.

Budget: Figure out your budget for setup and upkeep. An off-grid system will likely cost more up front than a hybrid system.

Location: Is grid power reliable and accessible where you live? Off-grid solutions might be better-suited to remote areas or places where power outages are regular.

Conclusion

It’s quite useful to know this so that you can choose the right type of solar power system if you want to invest in something that will provide energy resilience. Standard grid-tied systems are still switched off during outages, of course. But a hybrid system with battery storage will let you continue using the electricity you’ve generated. As battery systems become more sophisticated and cost-effective, more homeowners will start to explore the benefits of going hybrid or off-grid – giving themselves power, regardless of the status of the grid.