Whether you already have rooftop solar panels or are thinking about installing them in your home, tech enthusiast Harold thinks you should consider a solar battery system to complement them. 

In Australia, we are witnessing an enormous uptake of rooftop solar, and batteries aren’t far behind. As technology rapidly progresses, and the global shift towards renewables continues to grow exponentially, all signs are pointing towards a sun-powered energy future.

We sat down with solar panel and battery owner Harold, to chat about future-proofing his new family home in the Melbourne suburb of Armadale. Fully equipped with the latest sustainable technology, including a battery system big enough to charge his electric car, Harold is certainly ahead of the game. 

While some solar consumers may still be hesitant to include a solar battery to accompany their rooftop solar systems, for Harold, the decision was a “no-brainer”. 

 “One of the reasons for having a solar system is for back up in case of grid failure. Without a battery, you don’t last very long on solar panels alone.

“Solar panels by themselves aren’t effective in smoothing out the ups and downs. At certain times of the day, you need more energy, which the solar panels may not be able to deliver. It makes more sense to have a battery so you can store energy when the sun is shining, which may not necessarily be when you need to use that energy. 

 “The battery helps you resolve the usage versus generation challenge that all solar installations without batteries face. At night when people are doing a lot of things in their home, the solar panels are not producing anything. That’s when the batteries become important. During the day when people are away from the house, the solar panels can be charging the batteries to tide you over at night. 

 “I think solar panels are good but, without batteries, they are limited by what they can do.”

Harold says that it was also important to future-proof his new home not just with solar, but with other sustainability measures too. 

“The house is intended to be cutting edge in terms of technology and facilities.

“We double glazed the windows in the entire house. We put in higher grade insulation in the roof. We have a pitched roof rather than a flat one, which also increases energy efficiency. And we have also some water saving measures, including tanks, which help as well.”

The world is moving to a more sustainable future and people like Harold are paving the way. The shift towards renewables is inevitable. It won’t be long before we see more homes with entire solar panel and battery systems declaring independence from the grid. 

“Installing batteries with your solar panels is the right step towards future-proofing your home. Of course, these systems are complex so it’s important to hire an accredited installer to do the job.”

If you’re thinking about taking the leap into the world of batteries, make sure you’re in the know. 

This article was first published on www.knowyourbattery.com.au