Do I Need a Battery for My Solar Home?

Why Battery Storage Isn’t Always Necessary to ‘Go Solar’

Turning your Springfield, IL, house into a solar home has many benefits. For one, the power your rooftop panels produce will replace your monthly utility bill. Next, you’ll qualify for a tax credit up to 26% of the installation cost. But using solar energy doesn’t always work in the way people imagine. Namely, when you have solar panels, you don’t necessarily need to store power in a home battery.

Why not? What happens if you don’t have a battery, and why might you want one? We share how it all works for your new Springfield, IL, solar home below.

SEE ALSO: Why Buy Solar Panels?

How Home Batteries Work

Manufacturers like sonnen, LG, and Tesla create battery systems that allow homeowners to store solar energy to power their devices directly. Sonnen’s ecoLinx lets you potentially generate and conserve energy without putting any demand on the grid. The ecoLinx automatically keeps track of your peak power usage and adjusts your system, so you’re always running on ‘clean’ energy, the surest way to reduce your carbon footprint.

However, battery storage systems require a significant upfront investment. If your primary goal is to save money on energy, there’s a more practical way to do it.

Using Solar Net Metering

Here’s how solar works without a battery. During the day and while the sun is shining, your home’s electricity will be powered by your panels. Any energy that isn’t used, however, is put back on to the grid. This frequently happens, as people are usually not home between nine to five, and lights are off during the day.

Thanks to a state incentive to go solar, Illinois will reward your household for the power your system puts on the grid, earning you credit through net metering. The amount you receive from net metering can offset your solar costs, and you’ll be helping power your neighborhood. At night, you can use all of the power you need.

Work with Illinois’ Premium Solar Installer

At Summit Solar, we aren’t trying to rush installations to reach shareholder expectations, nor are we new to the game with incompetent services. Our team is experienced, uniformed, and ready to build a system that will last for decades. If we can’t take you 100 percent solar to reap the financial benefits, we won’t pressure you into anything.

To get started on your Springfield, IL, solar home, click here or give us a call at 888-884-3557.