Home Battery Storage
Battery Storage:
Optimise your solar
Solar systems generate electricity during the day when the Aussie sun is beaming down. However, most Australians are out and about during the day, at work or running errands. It’s precisely during these sun-soaked hours that their solar panels are working at their peak.
By the time they finally return home in the evening and are ready to cook, clean, or entertain, it’s often dark (or close to it), and that’s when they need electricity the most. Unfortunately, at that point, the sun is no longer shining, and that valuable solar is no longer powering their home. So, they typically have to buy power from the grid.
If this sounds familiar, it might be time to think about adding battery storage. With battery storage, you can use your own self-generated solar energy well past sundown while saving money on your power bills and having peace of mind that you’re getting the most out of your solar-generated energy.
What’s the difference between solar and a battery?
Solar systems and batteries are both key components of a renewable energy system, but they have their distinct roles.
While solar systems harness sunlight and convert it into electricity to generate power during daylight hours; batteries store energy for later use, capturing excess electricity generated by solar panels and saving it for periods when the sun isn’t shining.
Batteries can enhance the reliability of a solar power system by ensuring a continuous electricity supply, even when solar power isn’t being produced – like during a blackout, for instance*.
*When backup circuit is connected, and battery energy is available. Appliances selected at time of installation.
Power in the dark – with battery storage
Batteries for your home solar system can complement your solar setup by capturing and storing excess electricity generated during sunny periods for later use. When the solar panels generate more electricity than the home needs, the surplus power is directed to charge the battery.
The energy stored in that battery is then yours to use as a reliable source of energy when the sun has set. Battery storage can also help you power through blackouts and brownouts, minimise reliance on energy retailers, and provide a consistent and reliable source of electricity for your home.
Are solar batteries safe?
Safety is a priority at Redback Technologies. Our solar storage systems exclusively use Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries, known for their safety.
Home battery systems differ considerably from lithium batteries that are used in many household items like laptops, phones and electric scooters. While these batteries can be a risk if stored or charged incorrectly, most home battery systems, including Redback’s, have in-built battery management systems to ensure charging and discharging is done as safely as possible.
Redback’s Australian-engineered battery systems are designed to be installed both indoors and outdoors while being able to ‘cop’ Australia’s harsh weather. All home solar battery storage systems are fitted with an active cooling system, which automatically engages when the internal battery temperature reaches a certain benchmark. This system maintains optimal battery temperature, preventing overheating, and keeping the system operating optimally.
Additionally, all Redback systems are covered by a 10-year Australian-backed warranty, while also conforming to Australian safety standards, including the Electrical Installations Standard and the Inverter Requirements Standard. You can see a full list of Redback’s safety certifications by viewing a product’s specifications.
Why sell when you can store?
A feed-in tariff is designed to financially reward solar-equipped homeowners for feeding their excess solar energy into the grid. However, feed-in tariffs in many Australian states have plummeted, with tariff rates significantly lower than what homeowners are paying for electricity from the grid. For example, some consumers are paying 30c/kWh for grid electricity and selling it back at only 5c per unit.
This price discrepancy has driven a shift in the financial viability of battery storage systems, which give you the opportunity to store your excess solar energy for later use, rather than selling it back to the grid for pennies. By storing your own freely generated solar energy, you’re able to use the stored energy when you need it, or during the night when the grid electricity prices are generally higher.
Next: Reducing Your Power Bill
