Going Off-Grid with Solar Power

How having a battery system can help you disconnect

Over the years we’ve seen a resurgence of people wanting to disconnect from the power grids and go solo with their power needs. Whether a business or individual, understanding your property’s electrical needs will help you find the right solution and get that freedom you’re after. Far from the off-grid setup of the early 2000’s, the systems we have today not only last longer and deliver more power but are beautifully nondescript and hold a lot more power than before. No longer attached to the ‘doomsday bunkers’, going off-grid is becoming a more common scenario especially in remote places or areas with an existing heavy burden on the grid to avoid being impacted by extended outages.

Why you need a battery system

Around the world, electrical grids are facing ever increasing strains on the system as our global population increases and our reliance on the available power causes blackouts during extreme weather conditions. Places such as California have been dealing with rolling blackouts during the summer to combat the strain on the system due to running air conditioners and other appliances during peak hours.

Here in Australia, our national energy market is facing unprecedented pressures due to internal and external factors. While we’ve been hearing about power blackouts here on the east coast, you may be thinking that it’s time to add on some batteries to your solar system. As we discussed in our last post, How Do Solar Battery Systems Work, battery storage systems are great for storing excess power rather than feeding it back into the grid.

Installing a battery system will allow you to avoid the drama of the energy market, be independent, and save a lot of money in the long run. Many homes are switching to solar with battery and using the grid as a back-up instead of the other way around, thus removing themselves from the equation and pressure on their local power grids. Having a battery system can allow you to use power outside of daylight hours when your panels are not collecting energy, and by having multiple batteries, one can be charging while the other is being used.

What battery should I use?

Choosing the right solar storage system can seem daunting, however we offer a variety of sizes to work with your property’s energy needs. From a small 3kW Solar System with a 10kWh battery, to a 10kW Solar System with a 30kWh battery you can travel or live without having to rely on grid power with ease. Industrial battery systems are also available for those who need that extra power throughout the year, meaning your business can operate wherever you want without needing to rely on the grid.

For many years, lead batteries were the only choice for off-grid systems and while they are still available and used, especially throughout our range of products, thanks to innovation other types are becoming available while the lead batteries themselves are evolving into more environmentally friendly designs. For larger industrial needs, the lead battery systems are still the best option, while lithium batteries may be better suited for smaller projects, either way it’s best to talk with a battery expert about your storage needs.

How many do I need?

Determining how many batteries you need for your project can be a bit daunting, however if you have a general understanding of how much power you use on a weekly or monthly basis a battery expert here at JPAC can help you design the perfect storage system for your property.

When we consider that a standard solar battery is around 10kWh in size, we can safely say that will get your through a typical power outage. However, if you’re wanting to save money on your power bill, you’ll want two to three times that much storage at least. For those wanting to go completely off-grid, that’s when we investigate the bigger batteries and look at creating an entire storage system made up of multiple batteries.

Being self-sufficient with your business or home requires a good battery storage setup, especially if you’re in an area prone to cloudy weather and storms. As previously discussed, a small energy user can easily get by on a 10kWh battery system with a 3kW Solar System, the larger the usage, the larger the battery you’ll need. If you’re wanting to be able to be completely off-grid and are a medium usage household, having a bank of batteries will not only make your life easier, but will also increase the types of appliances you’re able to run off the available power.

Let’s get you powered up and living self sufficiently

The larger your battery system is, the longer you can stay off-grid and the more tools or appliances you can use. Whether you’re going off-grid because of your location and access to available power, increasing power prices, reliability, or simply because you’re ready to help the environment through reduction of greenhouse gases, there’s no better time than now to switch over.

With over 40 years of hands on and project management experience within our team, we are here to help you with your project and get that system up and running. We’ve worked with major companies such as Origin Energy and AGL, our projects have seen us installing battery systems in major power stations around the state.

We are here for all your commercial and industrial battery installation, maintenance, testing, reporting and replacement needs. JPAC Batteries is committed to providing safe, reliable and cost-effective battery systems to a wide variety of industries. We service most major industries in commercial and industrial capacities.