© Provided by Tell Me BestWalk down any residential street and you'll probably see more solar panels than in years past. Many Americans are switching to clean energy sources to save money and make their homes greener. Unfortunately, the bad news is that even green does not necessarily guarantee energy savings in the event of a power outage.
In the United States, the aging electrical grid cannot withstand the impact of significant weather events. As a result, Americans have recently experienced an increase in power outages. Some people have switched to solar panels in hopes of avoiding future disruptions.
However, a standard solar panel system will not protect you from power outages. Basic and more affordable solar panels are still connected to the public grid. So when it goes down, so does your ecosystem.
“Most solar systems are connected to the grid through a solar inverter. It's a meter that measures and tracks the amount of energy your home produces and uses," according to CNET. The solar inverter serves two purposes.
First, the inverter is connected to the grid if the solar panels do not produce enough electricity. So you won't waste a second watching your favorite show or cooking dinner. But it also allows you to sell excess capacity to the power company.
Both are big pluses. However, because traditional solar panels are tethered to the grid, they fail if the grid fails. And that means bad news for you.
However, there is a way around this. Solar panels can be unplugged. The only problem is that it requires a lot more investment.
This investment may be worthwhile if you live in a high-risk area such as Southern California or the East Coast. And there are two ways to log out of the system, which is good news. This allows homeowners to choose the most suitable option.
One option is to install a standalone system. However, this path is dangerous. Because off-grid solar panels are not part of the grid, there will be no back-up power unless they generate enough power.
They also “cannot participate in lump sum payment schemes offered by grid-connected solar systems, such as net metering; sell solar energy to utilities to cover the cost of any additional energy used.” But it can pay off for those who live in a sunny country. At least they can go about their business when the network is down.
Another option is to install a solar panel system. The solar panel stores the energy collected during peak hours of the day. And then, when you need food (for example, at night), you will have free access to the source.
One of the main advantages of this system is that the battery is automatically disconnected from the mains in the event of a failure. “It's called an island. Unfortunately, it's also an expensive system that can be overwhelming for some homeowners.
So if you live in an area that suffers from power outages, solar panels are not necessarily a viable option. Unless, of course, you are willing to invest in one of the autonomous systems. But given the precarious state of the US power grid, it could be a smart and logical investment.
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