Homeowners are searching for home battery backup more than ever before to keep their power on during power outages.
This is especially true in California, where Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) used utilities to prevent forest fires, affecting tens of thousands of people.
Homeowners have previously relied on backup gas generators to safeguard themselves from power outages. However, modern technology has fundamentally transformed this market, making solar with battery backup safer, cleaner, and more dependable.
Here are ten reasons why a home battery backup system is superior to a generator.
The Quietness of the Home Battery Backup
If you’ve heard a generator, you know how loud it is. In actuality, generators can produce up to 8.5 decibels of noise, which places them somewhere between a police whistle and a lawnmower.
Not only is this extremely irritating (for you and your neighbours), but studies dating back to the 1960s have linked noise pollution too:
- Hearing loss
- Sleep disruption
- Cardiovascular disease
- decreased efficiency at work and school
- negative social behaviour
- Reactions of annoyance
Generators can add to the stress of power outages, which can be stressful enough. Therefore, it is unsurprising that generators violate numerous HOA bylaws and city ordinances.
Home battery backup, in contrast, is entirely silent. If you were standing right next to your home’s battery storage system, you could not tell it was providing power.
Your family and neighbours will appreciate you keeping the peace.
The Clean Energy Advantage of Home Battery Backup Systems
Home battery backup systems use clean energy, unlike diesel, propane, and natural gas generators that emit harmful emissions such as nitrous oxide, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter. Using generators close to homes can be dangerous as emissions can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning, as evidenced by Hurricane Irma, where more deaths were attributed to carbon monoxide poisoning from generators than the storm itself. Portable generators have been linked to 900 deaths and 15,400 hospitalizations between 2005 and 2017.
On the other hand, home battery backup systems are emission-free and have no negative impact on the environment or your family’s health. The batteries are completely sealed and operate without producing any emissions, making them the safer and healthier option for backup power during outages.
The Space-Saving Benefits of Home Battery Backup Systems
Home battery backup systems have a smaller footprint than built-in generators, making them more practical. Although some portable generators can be compact, built-in generators typically require a substantial concrete pad for installation and can take up a considerable amount of space in your yard.
On the other hand, backup battery storage systems are wall-mounted and require no construction. The batteries are small and only protrude a few inches from the wall, making them simple to integrate with your existing solar equipment or garage shelving. Choosing a home battery backup system can save valuable space while ensuring uninterrupted power during outages.
No Delay: Home Battery Backup Provides Instant Power in Outages
Backup generators can take precious seconds to start when the power goes out, leaving your family in the dark and causing unnecessary stress. And if you have a portable generator, you must manually set it up, which can be dangerous and inconvenient.
With a home battery backup system, power is instantly transferred to battery backup in case of an outage. The batteries respond within a fraction of a second, so quickly that you won’t even notice the switch. Pomcube battery backup systems are so fast that homeowners only realize they lost power once they receive a notification on their phone from their mobile app.
Investing in a home battery backup system means that you’ll never have to worry about a delay in power during an outage again.
Reliability and Low Maintenance
One of the greatest advantages of electric vehicles is that they do not require costly routine maintenance, unlike internal combustion engines. With electric vehicles, oil changes are obsolete.
Similarly, home backup batteries require significantly less maintenance than generators.
To ensure that all internal components are properly lubricated and functioning, generators typically need to cycle at least once monthly. Most homeowners will also hire a technician to inspect the generator annually to ensure it is in good working order. After all, the only thing worse than purchasing a generator is having it not start when you need it!
On the other hand, battery storage requires no maintenance at all. The battery will only require occasional surface cleaning to maintain its luster throughout its entire service life.
You can be confident that your home’s battery backup will always be ready to protect you and your family in an emergency.
Earthquake Resilience with Home Battery Backup
To prevent fires caused by ruptured gas lines, one of the first actions the local utility company took following an earthquake is to turn off the natural gas service.
Suppose you live in an earthquake-prone area like California. In that case, this can completely negate the built-in gas generator’s benefit, as its fuel supply will be cut off immediately. Of course, battery backup does not have this problem.
Endless Power Supply with Solar Battery Pairing
While portable generators rely on a limited fuel supply, which can result in power outages when the fuel runs out, solar batteries paired with solar panels offer an alternative. In contrast to generators requiring diesel or propane, solar batteries can operate indefinitely by matching household consumption to the solar system’s daily output. This indicates that the battery will recharge and provide a continuous power supply.
Pairing a battery with solar panels can be especially useful during power outages, as it provides a reliable backup source. In addition, this strategy can help reduce grid electricity costs in the long run, making it an environmentally friendly and cost-effective solution.
Save Money with a Home Battery System
Investing in a backup generator is a practical solution for power outages. However, considering that the average outage lasts only three days per year – less than 1% of the time, it may not be a cost-effective option in the long run.
In contrast, solar panels and battery systems provide daily benefits through load shifting and time-of-use savings, ultimately reducing your electricity bills. Not only do they operate every single day of the year, but they also provide reliable backup power in case of a power outage.
By choosing a home battery system, you can save money while enjoying an uninterrupted power supply, making it a smart and sustainable investment for the future.
Solar and Battery Backup for Energy Independence
Many homeowners aspire to achieve energy independence, reducing their reliance on the electric grid and producing power. However, relying solely on a backup generator leaves you completely dependent on the grid for electricity.
Fortunately, a combination of solar panels and battery backup can help you produce, store, and use your own electricity. This reduces your dependence on the local utility and makes your local grid more resilient.
In fact, during California’s record-breaking heatwave in early September 2022, around 80,000 residential solar-powered batteries provided over 340 MW of power. This helped prevent rolling blackouts and provided more power than a mid-sized power plant.
Investing in battery backup and renewable energy sources can achieve energy independence while contributing to a more resilient and sustainable energy future.
Financial incentives available for home battery backups
Generators are “dumb” devices with no communication with the electrical grid. Whether or not you have a generator is irrelevant to the electric utility.
However, battery storage devices are intelligent and can provide power instantly when required. That’s why various incentives exist for installing home battery backup at the federal, state, and utility levels.
Conclusion
In conclusion, home battery backup systems are superior to generators when powering homes during outages. Battery backup is clean, emission-free, and silent, provides instant power, and has a smaller footprint. Additionally, battery backup systems require less maintenance, are earthquake resilient, and offer an endless power supply when paired with solar panels. Investing in a home battery backup system can save space, improve air quality, and ensure your family’s safety and well-being during power outages. With the latest technological advancements, battery backup systems have become a reliable and cost-effective for keeping your home powered up during emergencies.
