Grid-Interconnected Solar Energy System with Battery Storage
Per the National Electric Code, standard grid-interconnected solar systems have to shut down during a grid failure. This is to ensure that power will not backfeed to the grid and electrocute the utility line workers. However, if the installation has batteries, the inverter can “island” and be a self-sustaining system to power the home or business.
There are many advantages to having battery storage integrated into the solar system:
- The batteries provide backup power to run some or all of the electric loads in the home or business.
- The solar array continues to produce energy to power the home/business and charge the batteries even during a grid outage.
- The solar array can be oversized to provide power to both the inverter and charge the batteries.
- The batteries can deliver solar-generated electricity after sunset and on cloudy days.
- The batteries can be used to reduce Utility demand charges and time-of-use (TOU) rate plans.
Several of our solar installations with battery storage:
Off-Grid Solar System
New Prairie can design a solar system that is completely off-grid for remote agricultural, cabin, or machinery applications. We analyze the load requirements and engineer a system of solar panels, inverters, charge controller, and batteries necessary to power the demand.