Being a farmer or rancher, you know firsthand that your work requires a significant amount of energy to keep operations running.
You’re also closely connected to the land, and your livelihood depends on the environment’s health.
As such, you’re the first to recognize the effects of increasing temperatures, leading many farm and ranch owners to embrace the idea of using alternative energy to power operations.
If you’re among them, you may wonder if it’s worth your while to invest in a solar panel system with battery storage.
In making your decision, it’s helpful to know how storage works with solar, what costs and savings are associated with installation, and how you benefit from having it.
Let’s dive in.
How Battery Storage Works
First, we’ll look at how these systems work.
You can readily pair batteries with a solar panel system.
Energy storage provides you a higher degree of energy independence, as long as your panels produce enough energy — and your batteries store enough of it — to meet your energy needs.
With an adequate battery storage system, you can potentially function off-grid (though you will most likely still be connected to the grid) or at least significantly reduce your reliance on the utility company for your power.
Grid-Tied vs. Off-Grid Systems
When most people install solar panels, they install systems that are tied to the local electric grid.
When the sun is shining, the panels convert the sun’s energy into electricity.
This electricity is available to you the moment it’s produced.
If you’re generating excess electricity, the utility company utilizes the energy for other customers.
When the sun isn’t shining, or you need more energy than your panels produce, you pull electricity from the grid.
Typically, the utility company keeps track of what you feed into the grid and, in return, gives you credits for that electricity.
This is called net metering.
In 38 states and the District of Columbia, net metering is required by law.
Meanwhile, nine other states’ regulatory structures oblige utility companies to offer net metering or volunteer.
Now, we should clarify.
Only off-grid solar systems require battery storage.
These battery banks store excess energy generated by the solar panels so that they’re available to you later.
Note: Batteries aren’t 100% efficient.
Their energy output is less than the energy needed to charge the battery.
Batteries with at least an 80% efficiency rating are best suited for solar energy systems.
Lead-acid batteries are used most often, but lithium-ion batteries are gaining traction due to their benefits.
Lead-Acid vs. Lithium-Ion Batteries
Lead-acid batteries come in two forms: 1) flooded and 2) sealed.
The flooded type has some important characteristics. They are:
- The most affordable
- Able to handle daily cycling
- 99% recyclable
But flooded batteries have some drawbacks. They:
- Require regular maintenance (generally every 1 – 3 months)
- Need ventilation due to off-gassing
- Mut be kept upright
