If you want to go off-the-grid indefinitely, you need either solar or a generator, but for short off-the-grid periods a battery system may be sufficient if properly designed and controlled.

It depends on many factors, such as your location, the rate structure of your utility power, the federal and state incentives for battery and battery control systems and more. In a few cases, a battery system can actually save you money from day one, but in many other cases the benefits of a properly controlled storage system go beyond saving money and include the peace of mind of being able to operate during power outages.  The key to both money-saving and the ability to operate during outages is the use of smart in-house demand management software, such as it provided by the ModBESS gateway.

Many EVs today restrict the use of the battery as a power source (think Tesla), but more and more vehicles are allowing what is called “V2G”, or vehicle to grid, technology. This means that yes, in these cases you can use your car as an emergency battery.

It depends. In cases of extended power outages it is likely that you may want to have a backup generator even if you have solar to allow long-term operation that considers the possibility of extended periods of poor sunshine. It is surprising to many how well a solar system can operate even during cloudy days. With a well designed battery management system and sufficient solar, you may be able to get by without a backup generator, but it may prove more expensive than buying a backup generator. Keep in mind that your solar system only works when the grid is on or when there is a battery “replacing” the grid. Most of the generators will not enable your solar system to work.

Starting a generator takes a few seconds at a minimum. A battery in many cases can transition and supply power in a way that you will not even notice the outage and it will give the generator the opportunity to start only when the battery “state of charge” requires it.

A ModBESS Gateway is a small device for your house that helps you take advantage of your utility rate structure by controlling the charging and discharging of your batteries to take maximum advantage of your rates, can help you reduce demand charges (if your bill includes any) and it can help you manage the loads in your house during or prior to an outage. This latter capability requires additional equipment to be installed in your house. The installation is done by ModBESS qualified installers or electricians, and it is simple and transparent to you.

The ModBESS gateway makes the operation of your battery smarter, it can decide in an optimal way when to charge and discharge your battery for best economic performance as well as for best resilience. Furthermore, the gateway can manage your loads and limit the consumption of power within your house or business when necessary without the need for manual intervention at the time of the event. Note: not all battery systems are compatible with the ModBESS gateway, check with us.

Almost all households use AC (alternating current) power. Solar panels and batteries use DC (direct current) power. To use battery or solar energy power in a house or business, it must be converted to AC. This is the job of the inverter. Some inverters are mounted in the solar panels themselves and other solar panels require a centralized inverter. While ModBESS can work with panel inverters, we recommend the use of centralized inverters that are compatible with the ModBESS gateway and software. Contact us at info@modbess.com with the subject line containing the word “inverters” for more information.

Solar panels have a much longer payout period in areas with inexpensive electricity and short winter days. Payback periods for solar panels are longer and the rewards are lower than in places such as California and Hawaii. However, the battery systems for storing power (and a ModBESS gateway) make as much sense in a northern latitude as in a more tropical latitude. That said, the choice and placement of a battery is important and the battery technology chosen must depend on the location where it will be installed. A ModBESS gateway would work with any battery system whose charging and discharging can be controlled (not all batteries have accessible control parameters).