Arkansas can experience tornados, hailstorms, heavy rain, and flooding in any given year. It’s no wonder Arkansas was the #4 state with the most power outages in the past year. Power outages can end almost as soon as they begin, but some can last much longer.
Did you know that adding solar power and batteries is the best way to prevent power outages?
Solar batteries recharge through the day to keep your home running, even if an extended outage occurs. In Arkansas, extended outages are not uncommon.
In the following article, we share how you can best prevent power outages with solar panels and battery storage if you’re an Arkansas homeowner.
What Is a Solar Array?
Solar power is produced when energy from the sun is converted into electricity. There are many benefits to installing a residential solar panel system, including:
- Save on utility bills
- Enjoy tax rebates and incentives
- Reliable energy source
- Increase home value
- Low maintenance costs
- Easy installation
- Less impact to the environment than traditional fossil fuel
Many Arkansans have recently chosen to add batteries to their solar arrays to optimize solar power. A solar battery lets you store the excess electricity your panels create to use later, usually when the sun is down or during a storm or power outage.
Types of Solar Arrays
It’s essential to understand the main types of solar systems, as they all perform slightly differently. There are three main types of solar power systems: grid-tied, hybrid, and off-grid systems.
- Grid-Tied Systems
Grid-tied systems are the most popular solar array type. This system is connected to the electrical power grid. The system relies on this grid to produce usable solar energy when the solar panels aren’t producing enough energy to power the home. These arrays can be installed on your roof or on the ground.
- Hybrid Systems
A hybrid system is a solar power system that uses solar energy and battery storage to supply power to your home. The stored energy in the battery allows this system to work as a backup supply, giving energy for the home to use when the sun is down or during a power outage.
- Off-Grid Systems
As the name suggests, off-grid systems require no connection to the grid. The home runs entirely off of energy generated by the solar panels and is stored on-site with batteries. This high-quality solar system provides reliable power without any compromise to your lifestyle.
How Do Solar Batteries Work?
Solar batteries store energy for later use.
During the day, sunlight is collected by the solar panels and converted into useable energy. This energy can then be used to power appliances in your home directly or stored in a solar battery to use after the sun goes down.
When you install a battery with your solar array, you’ll have the ability to take energy from your solar panels, the grid, or your battery when it’s charged. Even though you’re still connected to the grid, you can go temporarily “off-grid.” In the event of a power outage, you’ll still be able to power your home.
Ability to power your home when the grid is down is a significant reason people choose to purchase a battery-powered solar system.
How to Use Solar Panels During a Power Outage
During a blackout, solar panels cannot serve as backup power – they are automatically shut off to protect utility line workers working to restore power. However, if you have a battery, you can still safely power your home.
There are two main ways you can still have electricity during a power outage with solar energy:
- Off-grid solar arrays
- Battery-backed solar arrays
Let’s look at how each operates when the lights go out.
- Off-Grid Solar Systems
During a power outage, off-grid solar arrays will continue to supply power to your home. They consist of a roof or ground-mounted solar array, a battery bank to store energy, an integrated backup generator, and an inverter.
Off-grid systems give you complete energy independence, meaning you can continue to use full power when the grid goes down.
An off-grid system may be worthwhile if you live in a remote area in Arkansas or experience frequent power outages.
- Battery-Backed Solar Arrays
You can still have a grid-tied system and have backup power during an outage if you install a solar battery.
A solar array backed up with a battery such as a Tesla Powerwall is another way to power your appliances during power outages. Your home will have power throughout the day and night while storing up electricity using your solar array during the day when the sun is out. The battery operates without upkeep, fuel, or noise.
The batteries charge with the excess electricity generated by the solar panels. The excess energy is sent to the battery bank rather than back to the grid. It The energy is stored until you need it.
Solar and battery storage are the number one way to prevent power outages in Arkansas from negatively impacting your family, especially for those living in severe weather-affected areas.
Is a Power Backup System Right for You?
A residential solar battery can help you collect, store, and redistribute the excess energy produced by your solar panels. Batteries are an excellent source of backup power as they increase your energy independence.
The benefits of a solar battery include:
- Self-powered home
- Eliminates outages
- Enhances savings
- Increases property value
Seal Solar is a proud certified installer of the Telsa Powerwall, the most popular solar battery on the market, to help you reduce your reliance on the grid.
Want to Prevent Power Outages? Switch to Solar Panels with battery storage in Arkansas
Are you tired of losing power during severe weather?
The good news is that you can prevent Arkansas power outages with solar power and batteries. Solar panels in Arkansas will help you lower your home’s energy bills while decreasing your carbon footprint and batteries allow you to power your home even when the grid goes down.
With tax incentives and financing options, producing, and installing solar panels and batteries is more affordable than ever.
At Seal Solar, we are the solar and battery experts. We want to help keep your family safe and comfortable in case of a power outage.
Are you ready to own a residential solar system? Learn more about solar and how it works by viewing our Solar Power 101 series!
Get your free estimate today and make the switch!
Solar Power in Arkansas eBook
All You Need To Know!
Renewable energy can make sense on the surface, but there’s also a lot of facts to digest to ensure you make the right decision. Some of the information in our eBook includes:
- How solar power works
- What solar panels in Arkansas cost
- Understanding the categories of solar arrays
- Benefits of switching to solar power
- And much more
