In the ever-evolving world of renewable energy, solar power has undoubtedly stolen the spotlight. As more homeowners and businesses embrace the advantages of harnessing the sun’s abundant energy, a critical piece of the puzzle has emerged – solar energy storage.
Think of it like this: your solar panels are the hardworking overachievers, pumping out electricity like nobody’s business. But what happens when the sun goes down, and the demand for power peaks? That’s where solar energy storage swoops in to save the day.
The Power of Solar Energy Storage
Even the most ardent solar evangelists can agree on one limitation solar panels have – they only produce electricity when the sun is shining. But peak energy use tends to come in the evenings, coinciding with decreased solar generation and causing a supply and demand issue.
The thing is, solar panels often pump out more than enough energy during those lower demand hours when the sun is shining to meet peak demand later in the day. This means that efficient solar energy storage can open up a wealth of possibilities for homeowners and businesses alike.
Unlock the Potential of Solar Energy Storage
Solar energy storage can be broken into three general categories: battery, thermal, and mechanical. Let’s take a quick look at each:
Batteries
Batteries are by far the most common way for residential installations to store solar energy. When solar energy is pumped into a battery, a chemical reaction among the battery components stores the energy. The reaction is reversed when the battery is discharged, allowing current to exit the battery.
Lithium-ion batteries are most commonly used in solar applications, and new battery technology is expanding rapidly, which promises to yield cheaper, more scalable battery storage solutions. In fact, US energy storage is expected to reach nearly 75 GW annually by 2025, a sixfold growth from 2020, representing a market worth $73 billion.
Thermal
Thermal energy storage uses various mediums, such as water or molten salt, to absorb and retain heat from the sun. This heated medium is stored in an insulated tank until the energy is needed, usually to boil water for energy generation.
Mechanical
Mechanical energy storage takes advantage of the potential energy of an object to generate electricity. Mechanical storage methods convert surplus electrical power into mechanical power, which is then converted back into electricity for later use. There are three prominent mechanical energy storage systems.
Choosing the Right Solar Energy Storage Solution
There’s no silver bullet solution for solar energy storage. Solar energy storage solutions depend on your requirements and available resources. Let’s look at some common solar energy storage options for commercial and home applications.
Commercial and Utility-Scale Solutions
Utility companies and other businesses generally have bigger budgets than individual households, making mechanical and thermal storage viable options. Though costs for these storage methods can be high, they help utilities keep up with peak energy demand.
Residential Solar Energy Storage
Residential solar has myriad benefits, including resiliency, cost savings, and the decentralization of electrical production, otherwise known as virtual power plants. But the commercial energy storage methods we discussed above are likely cost-prohibitive for the average homeowner.
Thankfully, battery storage can now offer homeowners a cost-effective and efficient way to store solar energy. Lithium-ion batteries are the go-to for home solar energy storage. They’re relatively cheap, low profile, and suited for a range of needs. Other batteries commonly available for residential use include saltwater batteries and lead-acid batteries.
Regardless of the battery type, home backup batteries allow homeowners to save energy during high production, low demand times (i.e., during the workday) for use during high demand periods when generation diminishes. This translates into resiliency, uninterrupted energy, and cost savings – all of which go directly to the homeowner.
Simplifying Solar Energy Storage with Software
Designing a storage system along with a solar installation used to be labor-intensive and include a fair amount of guesswork. Now, software like Aurora’s includes battery storage as part of its offerings. Using Aurora Solar’s Battery Storage Tool, solar installers can analyze load offset, calculate the projected price of a project, forecast smart battery sizing recommendations based on customer priorities, and present it to the customer in a compelling, easy-to-understand way.
Aurora has also introduced battery self-consumption modeling, which allows you to learn more about how your solar and battery storage system can work together to maximize your savings and energy independence.
The Future of Solar Energy Storage
The sun offers a limitless supply of clean power, but harnessing it can be a challenge. Thankfully, several options for commercial and residential storage offer proven solutions for storing solar energy, and emerging technologies are being developed daily.
For commercial applications, mechanical storage options provide effective solutions to harnessing solar energy when it’s needed most, and grid-scale battery storage will likely become available soon. For residential solar, battery storage is the best option, with a variety of affordable units on the market.
Together, these solutions provide an effective portfolio for storing solar energy and a compelling argument for further solar deployment in commercial and residential settings. As the technology continues to evolve and become more accessible, the future of solar energy storage looks brighter than ever.
So, whether you’re a business looking to maximize your energy efficiency or a homeowner seeking to take control of your power supply, solar energy storage is a game-changer that’s worth exploring. The possibilities are endless, and the time to get in on the action is now.
