Why Blackout Protection is Essential for your Solar System

Australians face an uncertain energy supply ahead of summer 2019, it is now more essential than ever to have your solar battery fitted with blackout protection to protect your household’s energy supply this upcoming summer season. 

Our homes are more connected than ever – walk in the door and you can ask your virtual assistant (Google Home, Amazon Alexa etc.) to switch on the lights or power your fan. Some fridges can now tell you the weather, your TV can stream the latest box office hit; our lives are powered by our gadgets, devices and all up connectivity. The risk of forced blackouts to ease the demand on the national energy network during summer threatens our connectivity and lifestyles.

… one in three risk of compulsory blackouts …

The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) have released reports warning Victorians of a one in three risk of compulsory blackouts and one in ten risk for the same in South Australia. The increased temperatures faced by Australians during the summer season and the growing dependence on energy in the home or business mean that this prediction poses as a threat to lifestyles and businesses alike.

Solar battery storage solutions have revolutionised the way that solar homeowners use energy and its potential value. The rise of energy prices and the growing instability of the national energy network means that the energy that your solar system produces is worth more to you to use during the day or to store than it is to send to the grid and receive a feed-in credit. Batteries fitted with blackout protection can power your house through a blackout and keep your life uninterrupted by the national grid.

How does blackout protection work?

Being grid-tied, in the event of a blackout your inverter will not be powered. Your inverter is the heart of your entire solar PV system, when it is not functioning or not powered, your solar will not be operating. In the event of a blackout, your inverter will stop working and your backup supply (battery) will automatically switch on to power your essential loads.

Are blackouts a real issue to warrant blackout protection?

If you live in South Australia, Victoria or New South Wales, yes. South-eastern Australian states are the most affected states from blackouts, and it is a known issue that the national grid cannot keep up with. It’s time to take control of your power and regain your independence. Power your own way through a blackout.

It makes sense to store in a battery than to send to the grid

The cost for importing energy from the grid has skyrocketed in the last ten years, causing a great strain on households to be able to afford keeping the lights on. Living in a country with so much sunlight makes sense for people to take advantage of it and produce their own solar energy for years to come. When Australians first started adopting solar technology, the State Governments introduced a feed-in tariff structure meaning that it worked in the homeowners’ best interest to leave the solar energy to feed into the grid because you would receive quite a substantial credit for this energy. This credit could see some solar homeowners’ energy bills in credit, leaving them to use power as they please without the worry of high energy bills.

… prompted the decrease of several feed-in tariff rates… 

Fast forward to December 2018, the Clean Energy Council (CEC) has confirmed that over 2 million households have now adopted solar energy, this number is ever-increasing. This significant take up has since prompted the decrease of several feed-in tariff rates, leaving homeowners in some states receiving less than 7 cents/kWh for energy fed into the grid. Increased use of energy during peak demand periods prompted energy retailers to incorporate surge pricing to control demand. Being charged almost four times the amount for the same energy a few hours later in the day doesn’t make sense. By storing your energy, you can save on this surge pricing and protect your home against energy retailers’ bottom line objectives. It makes sense to store your solar energy in a battery.

State or Government incentives to install a solar battery

The incredible benefits for households and businesses to store solar energy in a battery and the upsurge in battery adoption has prompted the Australian Federal and State Governments to provide generous incentives for households to store solar energy. Recently, the Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has announced plans to provide 100,000 Australian households with solar battery rebates to the value of $2,000 if elected during the Federal election in mid-2019. Some States have already taken on the same assistance to households, with Victorian State Premier Daniel Andrews announcing 10,000 solar battery rebates to the value of $4,383 and South Australia with 40,000 solar battery subsidies up to the value of $6,000.

Australian consumers are really feeling the pinch of the privatisation of energy; the growing dependency on electricity in the home and lifestyles means that energy retailers literally have the power and hold all the cards. It’s time to switch the tables and start calling the shots.

Solar batteries fitted with blackout protection will safeguard your home and lifestyle through a blackout. Solar batteries will store your excess solar generated throughout the day for you to use in the evening when the sun’s down.

Talk to a solar battery solutions specialist today.