Store excess energy and use it at night
Battery
Hybrid system solution
Products for sale with every install
Hybrid System Solution
Our hybrid systems combine a photovoltaic system and battery storage. This allows you to store some of that excess solar energy that is generated during the day and use it at night. This way you do not have to pay your energy retailer for electricity used at night. If there ever is a case that the stored energy is depleted, the grid is there as a backup. We can also configure your system to use the grid to charge the batteries using cheap off-peak electricity. This would come in handy on cloudy days where the solar array did not produce enough electricity to fully charge the battery.
TESLA POWERWALL
Batteries can be added to on-grid systems at a later stage if required to create a hybrid system.
The Tesla Powerwall 2 is a good example of a popular AC battery system. We also just so happen to have Telsa-certified installers to add such batteries to your system.
Solar storage batteries come in two types, lead-acid and lithium-Ion. Battery capacity is measured is either Amp hours (Ah) for lead-acid, or kilowatt hours (kWh) for lithium-ion.
You should be aware that not all of the stated capacity is available for use. Lithium-ion based batteries can typically supply up to 90% of their available capacity per day, while lead-acid batteries should only supply 30 to 40% of their total capacity per day to increase battery life. Lead-acid batteries can be discharged fully, but this should only be done in emergency backup situations.
As we mentioned on our Grid Connect Solutions page we have certified installers for the Tesla Powerwalls. While it may be Tesla that gets all the attention, we do also install other battery models. Two other battery manufacturers we commonly install are LG and BYD. LG you may recognise as being a prominent panel manufacturer, so it comes as no surprise they also have a good range of battery options. BYD are a Chinese powerhouse in batteries, being one of the world’s largest lithium-ion battery producers. There are many other battery manufacturers, however these three are among the most recognisable and reputable. They offer a diverse range of models and are a good place to start when researching a home energy storage system.
It should be noted that these hybrid systems are not off-grid systems. Off-grid solar systems, or Stand-Alone Power Systems (SAPS) require specialised off-grid inverters and battery systems capable of storing energy for prolonged periods of time. Hybrid grid-connected systems use lower cost hybrid (battery) inverters, and only require a battery large enough to supply energy for 5 to 10 hours: the hours your solar system is not producing electricity. For more information on off-grid photovoltaic systems visit our SAPS product page.