Historically, the term 'battery' refers to the combination of two or more electrochemical cells that stores chemical energy and converts it to electrical energy. It is a device that stores energy and discharges it when required.
A home battery is a residential energy storage system that stores energy from power grids or renewable energy sources like wind and solar. Home batteries can either be single or multiple batteries coupled together for higher storage capacity. Most popular home batteries are lithium-ion batteries which charge and discharge energy–just like any rechargeable battery but on a much larger scale. They can power almost any appliance or device in the home, depending on the device’s power rating and the battery's storage capacity.
The annual installations of residential energy-storage systems in the United States increased from 185 megawatt-hours (MWh) in 2018 to 2.5 GWh in 2022. This shows that many energy users and consumers desire the added control, reliability, and resilience of having battery storage at home.
Battery Backup Systems
Home battery backup systems enable users to store energy that can power an entire house during an outage. Battery backups run on electricity, either from the solar system or the electrical grid. As a result, they are an eco-friendly and potentially safer option than conventional generators.
Battery backups can be financially straining initially to cover battery purchase and installation costs. However, this initial cost depends on the battery model and the number of needed batteries that can power an entire home. The batteries can be mounted on the wall or floor, depending on the choice of prospective owners.
How to Integrate A Battery Backup for An Entire House
The first step is calculating the energy usage of all the systems, appliances, and other devices that will consume electricity during a blackout. The total wattage of all the systems will be added, multiplied by the number of hours it will operate, and then divided by 1,000. This will produce the total kilowatt-hours of energy the batteries must deliver as a backup system.
For instance: [500 W (total) x 10 hours] / 1,000 = 5 KWh
Note: The power wattage of appliances and devices can be found in user manuals or product labels.
For a fully autonomous backup system, the battery must be able to supply more energy than what is needed.
Benefits of Home Battery Backup Systems
Installing a battery storage system has various benefits. These are some of the reasons you should use batteries as a backup power supply system in the home.
Uninterruptible Electricity
Unfortunately, in some parts of the country, people experience power outages, sometimes due to severe or bad weather conditions. While it can be infuriating for many people, it can also be potentially life-threatening for those with medical conditions.
With home battery storage as a backup system, homeowners can enjoy the luxury of electricity even when the power grid is down. Home batteries are part of the electrical system in the home. It can be automatically switched into use in a fraction of a second during a power outage.
Affordable Energy
Home batteries help homeowners to save money on electricity bills. When integrated with a PV solar system, excess energy can easily be fed back into the grid to reduce energy costs.
Many companies charge more for electricity during the day and evenings when power is in high demand. Late nights and early mornings often come with reduced energy costs. However, the home battery can charge overnight when demand and prices are low and used as backup power during more expensive, high-demand periods.
Grid Support
Besides saving costs, home battery backups can also feed power into the grid during excess energy. It can also provide other grid services, such as peak shaving, voltage control, and frequency regulation.
Note that, in 2020, 1500 home battery storage installations were connected to the U.S. electrical grid. While a single home with backup power won’t help much, many homes with battery backup systems supplying energy to the grid can make a significant difference.
Clean Energy
Compared to alternative power solutions like gasoline generators, home battery backup systems emit fewer carbon emissions. Using battery storage systems in the home helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Although emissions occur when batteries store energy from the grid, the positive impacts on a fossil fuel-free economy can only be maximized when home batteries are recharged with renewable energy.
Installing battery backup systems in the home ensures an eco-friendly and green environment with less noise pollution and cleaner air.
Franklin Home Power
Franklin Home Power is a home energy management system that provides reliable storage solutions and energy management software to enable users to manage, control, and monitor the energy used by systems and appliances in the home anytime and anywhere.
Our backup battery system is durable and well-suited for homes. It can provide power through those problematic load-shedding hours and other unplanned power failures with no noise, no petrol or diesel, and no fumes.
Franklin Home Power comes with an LFP AC-coupled battery that pairs well with PV solar systems, with which homeowners can save money on electricity bills and make their households eco-friendlier. Users can personally set different energy-saving schemes that cover all critical loads and safeguards the whole home's energy needs.
Franklin Home Power, as an energy management system, is
● Reliable: It exceeds performance standards, covered by a 12-year warranty
● Flexible: It is technologically agnostic, which allows integration with any PV solar system
● Scalable: It has a high system density that allows up to 15 units for 204 kWh
● Simplified: It is pre-assembled for fast, easy one-step installation.