Did you know solar energy systems are required to disconnect from the electric grid during an outage? Many customers don’t realize they won’t have power when the grid goes down if their solar panels don’t have battery backup.
Most solar battery backup systems aren’t powerful enough to run large appliances (like HVAC systems) or provide whole-house backup power for more than a few hours. That can leave you with spoiled groceries, no heat in the winter, and no air conditioning in the summer. But the Generac® PWRcell Solar + Battery Storage System is strong enough to do both, making it the perfect complement to any solar energy setup.
What Is the PWRcell Solar + Battery Storage System?
Generac®’s PWRcell Solar + Battery Storage System blends power and capacity with automatic load management to provide reliable whole-home backup. The industry’s first fully-integrated solar energy and storage solution, PWRcell pairs with solar panels from most manufacturers.
When your solar panels over-produce in your house or business, you can store excess electricity in your batteries, rather than sending it back onto the grid. And if your panels under-produce, you can use the energy stored in your batteries, rather than buying it from the utility company. With a solar battery backup system you’ll have power when you need it most, and extra money in your pocket as electricity rates continue to rise.
When the power goes out, the Generac® solar power backup system picks up the load and restores electricity within seconds. Then, it uses this stored energy to power your home for several days without input from the grid.
How the PWRcell Solar + Battery Storage System Benefits You
There are many benefits to adding PWRcell battery backup for solar panels to your green energy array. We’ll take a closer look at the most significant benefits below.
Save Money on Utility Costs
By taking advantage of time-of-use rate structures, the PWRcell Solar + Battery Storage System significantly reduces your energy costs. Time-of-use rate structures offer incentives to purchase energy during times when generating costs are at their lowest. You can then use this stored energy during peak demand times when generating costs are at their highest.
Net metering credits you for the electricity you add to the grid, and feed-in tariffs pay you for excess electricity generated by your system that you don’t use. But net metering and feed-in aren’t always available. However, PWRcell gives you the ability to produce and use your own power (zero export) when net metering and/or feed-in aren’t possible.
Finally, the Generac® PWRview mobile app helps you keep spending in check and closely monitor your energy use. PWRview offers highly detailed bill tracking, bill forecasting, and historical data to give you complete control over your solar energy system.
Power Your Most Important Appliances
Offering more capacity and power than any other smart battery system, the PWRcell Solar + Battery Storage System can handle even the most power-hungry essential appliances.
Feel Good About Going Green
Adding a solar battery backup system to your solar array helps you leave a legacy of green, environmentally-conscious energy. Solar energy is 100% emission- and fossil fuel-free, making it the most eco-friendly home power option. And the ability to self-supply allows you to reduce your carbon footprint because you’re producing and consuming energy locally.
Count on Limited Warranty Protection
The PWRcell Solar + Battery Storage System is backed by a 10-year limited warranty. And depending on your battery size, it also carries a throughput warranty, which is based on how much energy your system has stored and discharged, rather than time of use.
Fully Customize Your Solar Ecosystem
Because it’s modular and fully customizable, the PWRcell Solar + Battery Storage System can scale alongside your evolving energy needs.
Flexibility to Install Indoors or Outdoors
PWRcell’s Outdoor-Rated (OR) Battery Cabinet allows you to install your system indoors or outdoors. The cabinet is 3R rated for protection against solid foreign objects of 50mm+ in diameter, and additional standard mounting hardware provides extra ground clearance and support.
How Does the PWRcell Solar + Battery Storage System Work?
The complete Generac® PWRcell Solar + Battery Storage System includes the following components:
- PWRcell battery modules
- PWRcell inverter(s)
- SnapRS
- PV Link Optimizer
When used as a whole, this incredible solar battery backup system ensures you have power for as long as you need, even when the grid goes down. That’s one less thing to worry about, especially if you’re expecting an extended outage.
PWRcell Battery Modules
The energy from your solar panels (and/or the grid) is stored in your PWRcell battery modules. When the grid goes down, your system begins drawing stored electricity from your solar panel battery within seconds for minimal power disruption.
PWRcell Inverters
PWRcell battery cabinets are connected to PWRcell inverters, which connect to your solar panels. Inverters convert the DC electricity generated by your solar panels into the AC electricity used in your home. Inverters also direct the flow of energy from your solar panels to the pre-selected appliances that are most important to you during a power outage.
SnapRS
SnapRS is an in-line disconnect device that isolates array voltages when a rapid shutdown is initiated. It ensures your battery modules are compliant with rapid shutdown requirements for solar + battery storage systems.
PV Link Optimizers
A PV Link Optimizer allows you to connect two to nine solar PV modules for a customized, easy-to-install solar power system.
Which PWRcell Solar + Battery Storage System is Right for You?
The standard Generac® PWRcell Solar + Battery Storage System provides nine kilowatt hours (kWh) of storage capacity and includes:
- One battery storage cabinet
- Three lithium-ion battery modules
- One inverter
You can expand your system in increments of three kWh by adding additional battery modules to your cabinet. This allows you to power as many essential appliances as you want or need.
Each battery cabinet can hold up to six modules for a maximum of 18 kWh of storage. You can even connect two 18 kWh battery cabinets to a single inverter for a total of 36 kWh. Here are the available battery module configurations for your solar battery bank storage cabinet:
- Generac® PWRcell M3 (9 kWh) 3x Battery Module
- Generac® PWRcell M4 (12 kWh) 4x Battery Module
- Generac® PWRcell M5 (15 kWh) 5x Battery Module
- Generac® PWRcell M6 (18 kWh) 6x Battery Module