HOW STORAGE WORKS
How It Works
Batteries are charged during the day by your solar panels, or in some cases they may be charged by the electric grid. The stored power can then be discharged at a time of your choosing; generally, in the evening when electricity rates are at their highest (Peak rates) to increase the savings from your solar and battery storage system, or in the event of a blackout or electric grid failure. The discharging of the batteries is completely programable and automated, so the property owner doesn’t have to do anything once it is set, and we take care of all of the programming for you.
Load shifting, or TOU (Time of Use) Savings Mode is when the electric power from your solar system is stored on your batteries during the day when utility rates are lower, instead of being back fed onto the grid. The power is then discharged in the evening when utility rates are higher. Load shifting allows you to use your solar power at night. This strategy is often referred to as energy arbitrage and can help property owners maximize the return on investment of their solar and battery storage system.
Emergency backup power is automatically discharged from your batteries in the event of a blackout or electric grid failure, so you don’t have to lift a finger or worry about a thing. Battery storage can be engineered to backup an entire property (whole home) by wiring the system directly to your main electrical panel. However, most systems are designed exclusively to backup critical loads (refrigerators; freezers; security, communication and computer systems; and any other electrical loads deemed to be “critical” by the property owner) to help reduce the overall size and cost of the system (partial home). Critical loads are isolated by moving circuits from your main electric panel onto an auxiliary sub panel (also known as a “critical loads panel”). For systems designed with a critical loads panel, when there is a blackout or grid failure, the main electric panel is isolated, and your batteries automatically begin discharging power exclusively to your critical loads panel to keep your critical loads powered. Your solar panels transform your emergency backup system into a renewable energy source that can recharge itself every day, indefinitely, for as long as a grid failure exists, keeping your home power on even when the grid is down.
Off grid systems are designed to provide solar and battery storage power to properties that are located beyond the reach of the utility company’s electric grid. Since an off grid solar and battery storage system is usually a property’s only power source, it is designed to meet the power needs of the entire property.
The experts at 180 Solar Power are well versed in all the latest battery storage technology. Click here to get a free quote before current government incentives for storage expire. Fill out the form below or click here to get a free storage quote.
Battery Storage
Battery storage is about eliminating your dependency on the utility company, using your solar power when you want, and never being affected by blackouts or grid failures. Its about emergency preparedness; preserving food and medicine, and providing uninterrupted operation of communication and security devices, medical equipment, and generally “keeping the lights on”. And when not actively providing emergency backup power, it can save money by “load shifting”; deploying stored electric power to your home in the evenings when Peak utility rate are highest. Solar and battery storage puts you in control.
FINANCING OPTIONS
While most property owners in Southern California can save tens, or even hundreds of thousands of dollars by having a solar and battery storage system installed on their property, few have the resources to write a check for the full cost of a solar and battery storage system. Therefore, 180 Solar Power has established solar financing relationships with a wide array their project a reality regardless of their credit history, and with little or no money down.
At 180 Solar Power we know that every property and each client is unique, and that a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work when designing and installing a solar & storage system. Therefore, we deliver custom designs, tailored to you and your one-of-a-kind needs. Whether you need roof or ground mounted solar panels, micro or string inverters, whole home or partial home battery backup, 180 Solar Power has the experience to do it all.
Most importantly, we provide regular communication and updates to our customers throughout the process of installing their solar and battery storage systems, from the initial analysis and design phase, through the final delivery of their project. We ensure that our crews conduct themselves in a professional manner, and that they clean the job site at the end of each day. And we deliver every job on time. That’s part of what makes 180 Solar Power in Escondido one of the leading solar companies throughout San Diego County, Riverside County, and all of Southern California. Fill out the form below or click here to contact a 180 Solar Power representative.
Government Incentives
Government incentives come and go. Remember Cash-For Clunkers? Just a few years ago there were also huge incentives on a vast array of other energy efficient products from electric vehicles to windows and doors, to air conditioning and furnaces, to insulation and more. Those too have now all expired or been reduced to almost nothing. The same is true for solar and battery storage systems. At one time the California state utility rebate would have paid property owners as much as $2.50 per watt when they installed a solar system. Today, with the exception of a few sparsely located municipally owned utility companies, that money is all gone, leaving only the federal Intangible Tax Credit (ITC) for residential and commercial solar and battery storage, the Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System (MACRS) for commercial only, the SGIP battery rebate program, and a few regional generation rebates.
The ITC is better known as the 30% Federal Tax Credit. The ITC is a dollar for dollar offset of taxes owed, which for most qualified property owners equates to thousands of dollars in savings. For example, a $25,000 investment in a solar and battery storage system results in a federal tax credit and savings of up to $7,500 in hard tax dollars, effectively reducing the cost of the system down to $17,500. However, this program, like all other government incentives, will not be around forever. Therefore, we encourage property owners to act expediently to take advantage of this valuable incentive while they still can.
The Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System (MACRS) is a method of depreciation in which a business’ investments in certain tangible property are recovered, for tax purposes, over a specified time period through annual deductions. Qualifying solar and battery storage equipment is eligible for a cost recovery period of five years. This accelerated depreciation schedule can have a significant positive impact in a business’ ROI from their solar and battery storage project.
There have recently been several utility-based battery rebate programs such as SGIP and CCA. However, like every other rebate program that’s been offered to early adopters of renewable energy projects, funding for these rebate programs is limited and once the funds have been depleted there is no guarantee that they will be funded again. Therefore, when rebate programs like this are offered any delay in the application process can result in missing the cut off on these programs.
The information presented on this page is general in nature and is not intended to be viewed as “tax advice”. Each property owner’s tax situation is unique. Therefore, we recommend that all property owners consult with their tax advisors with respect to any tax questions or advice regarding their solar project.
Fill out the form below or click here to have a 180 Solar Power expert provide you with a free quote.
not all products are created equal
Most electrical contractors only sell one brand of battery storage system, and they often push that system as the one and only “best” system available. But the truth is that there are a variety of battery storage systems on the market and determining which is the best solution for you will depend on your specific needs and budget.
Some battery storage systems are bundled as “all-in-one” solutions, which means that all the critical component come packaged in one consolidated unit that includes inverters, transfer switches, charge controllers, etc., and they are all covered under one warranty by a single manufacturer. While others are constructed with various separate components manufactured by different companies, each having its own separate warranty, and having to be assembled by the installing electrical contractor on site. There is no right are wrong when it comes to these choices. Deciding which is right for you will again depend on your budget and your performance requirements, and your electrical contractor should be able to provide you with unbiased information to help you determine which solution is best for you.
180 Solar Power offers a variety of battery storage solutions, and every system that we install is custom designed for each individual property. 180 Solar Power uses only the highest quality, proven and tested products. At 180 Solar Power we never cut corners, and our customers always know what’s being installed on their property before a work order is executed. Fill out the form below or click here to find out more about the high-quality storage products available from 180 Solar Power.
About us
180 Solar Power is a local family owned company that services residential, commercial, non-profit and government customers throughout southern California. 180 Solar Power is a licensed C-10 electrical and C-46 solar contractor.......Learn More
