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STORE SURPLUS SOLAR AND USE IN THE EVENING PEAK
Why use batteries?
Australia's electricity industry is about to undergo a massive transformation, with the advent of cheap storage batteries for solar energy.
Battery storage uses a chemical process to store electrical energy, which can then be used at a later time. For example, a solar-powered torch stores electrochemical energy during the daylight hours that can be used to provide light at night.
The graph below explains how it will work in your home.
How Battery Storage Works
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6.00am
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Daily electricity use defines the Solar PV array size
(roof permitting)
Store surplus solar energy and use in evening peak period.
Electricity use in this period typically defines the size of the energy storage system.
The increasing number of solar panel installations in households around Australia is providing a new market opportunity for energy storage. Large batteries or multiple batteries joined together in battery banks can store the energy produced by solar panels. The household can then use that stored energy at a later time, or sell it back to the electrical grid. For home owners, there are three main benefits of storing energy:
Maximise Energy Savings
By being able to store the solar energy and thus use it more effectively
Offset Consumer Feed-in Tariffs
By being able to avoid using the grid at peak times when electricity is more expensive)
Provide Continuity of Supply
Some batteries provide continuity of supply if the site has unreliable grid supply