Does Solar Power Work At Night — How To Power Your Nightlife With Solar
Solar power provides super reliable daytime energy, but does solar power work at night? The quick answer is no, solar panels do not work at night, making it critical to capture the benefits of excess solar energy produced during the day.
The residential solar boom is a new movement compared with how long solar power technology has been around. Yet when powering our homes and lifestyle, we want to make sure that reliable power is available at all times.
Solar technology is reliable… as long as the sun is shining. Solar panels provide peak performance on sunny, 77 °F days. While not as well, they also generate electricity on overcast or scorching days
Without the light from the sun, solar systems can’t even generate enough electricity to power a lightbulb, let alone an entire house. So most solar systems enter ‘sleep mode’ at night where they become inactive.
This may leave you wondering how a home with solar works at night. There must be an economic way to keep the lights on once the sun’s gone down, otherwise no one would be going solar. The key to it is leveraging the excess solar energy produced during the day. There are two primary ways of doing that:
Battery Storage
Net-Energy Metering
Battery Storage
Solar battery storage will store excess solar energy produced during the day.
Lithium-ion batteries dominate the energy storage space. The cost has also plummeted over the past decade. Innovation and increased manufacturing volume have led to a near-90% drop in lithium-ion battery-pack prices since 2010. These improvements make the solar system battery storage a strong investment for many homeowners.
First, the economics for battery storage can now make sense. Battery storage does elevate total system cost, but it is still eligible for federal tax credits and local incentives that may be available. Using stored energy enables you to take full advantage of your solar system’s energy generation. Instead of wasting excess energy, it can be stored and used so that you can power your home without paying the utility. This saves money and optimizes the daytime generation of your solar system.
Moreover, battery storage adds resiliency to solar systems and grants greater energy independence. Having the flexibility to use stored energy enables you to use clean energy on cloudy days when your system under-produces. Stored energy can even work at night when your solar system is not generating electricity, or even to provide backup power during a blackout. With Texas projected to experience more extreme weather events, adding solar battery storage provides peace of mind.
Innovation and demand have progressed battery storage technology to a point where many find it makes practical and economic sense to install a solar+storage system. Yet battery storage is not right for everyone, and if that’s the case, it’s important that you are compensated for the excess solar energy your system produces.
Net Energy Metering
Net Energy Metering (NEM) is an agreement allowing for surplus electricity to be sent to the grid in exchange for compensation. With NEM, you pay for the energy difference between what you consume and what your solar system produces.
Texas does not require utilities and retail electricity providers (REP) to offer NEM programs, yet many do offer programs for solar customers. Compensation structures differ between providers — some provide compensation equal to retail rates whereas others provide compensation closer to wholesale prices of electricity. Plans will also differ in how credits roll over from month to month and whether or not accumulated credits ever need to be trued up.
Finally, compensation may come in the form of kWh credits that work against your future energy consumption, or it may come as a dollar credit that can offset charges on upcoming bills.
If you have flexibility over your REP, it’s important to select a plan that provides good rates for solar plans.
Final Notes For Solar After Dark
Solar panels do not generate electricity at night. That’s why it is important you have a strategy to utilize surplus solar energy produced during the day. With battery storage, you keep your generated energy close and available for later use. Under NEM agreements, you will be compensated for excess generation so you can use credits to pull electricity from the grid when your solar system is not producing electricity.
Whether going with battery storage or a NEM agreement, there will be a way for you to take advantage of your solar system even after the sun sets.
Your solar system should match your lifestyle. Before installing solar, it’s important to consider the management of your energy generation and what the best plans are for solar customers in your area.
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