Home solar panels are great for lowering your electric bills, but most grid‑tied systems shut off when the power goes out. If you want your home to stay powered during an outage, you can store energy and keep essential circuits running with solar battery storage.
Since 2008, My Generation Energy has been designing and installing high‑performance solar and solar battery systems across Cape Cod, the South Shore, and Greater Boston. In this guide, we’ll cover how with the right setup, solar battery installation can help keep the lights on and improve your long‑term savings.
How Solar Battery Backup Works During a Power Outage
With a solar‑only system, your panels shut down when the grid goes out for the safety of utility crews. To keep key parts of your home powered during an outage, your solar-plus-battery system needs to be set up specifically for that use. The right inverter, like hybrid inverters found in the Enphase and Tesla Powerwall systems we install, can automatically take over in the event of an outage.
If your solar equipment isn’t designed for backup power, you won’t be able to use battery power during an outage. How long your battery can power your home depends on its size, which circuits you choose to back up, and how much electricity those circuits use.
My Generation Energy designs solar energy systems around your priorities. Here’s what typically happens when your solar is designed for backup power:
- Your battery and inverter sense the power loss and automatically disconnect your home from the grid for safety
- A dedicated backup panel keeps essential circuits running from your solar battery, like lights in key rooms, refrigeration, sump pumps, Wi‑Fi, and some outlets
- Your solar panels recharge the battery, helping you ride through extended outages with far more resilience than a stand‑alone generator
Everyday Benefits of Solar Battery Storage
Solar batteries have several benefits on top of outage protection. For many Massachusetts homeowners, pairing solar panels with a battery turns their solar system into a more flexible and stable resource for clean energy.
With solar battery storage, you can also:
- Use solar power 24/7: With solar panels and battery storage working together, you can use clean solar energy day and night, helping you dramatically reduce or even eliminate your electric bill.
- Gain energy independence: Solar battery installation reduces your reliance on the grid and gives you more control over when and how you use your solar power, especially during peak demand or local outages.
- Reduce your carbon footprint: By using more stored solar energy and less grid electricity, you rely less on fossil fuels and cut your home’s carbon emissions.
MA Solar Battery Incentives
Massachusetts is one of the strongest states in the country for solar battery storage thanks to utility‑backed programs and incentives. These MA solar battery incentives can significantly reduce your upfront battery cost and help your solar and storage investment pay off faster.
Depending on your utility and system, you may be able to take advantage of:
- ConnectedSolutions: National Grid and Eversource customers can earn payments for allowing their solar battery to help support the grid during peak demand events.
- Mass Save HEAT Loan: Homeowners who enroll their battery in ConnectedSolutions may be eligible for 0% financing on solar battery installation through the HEAT Loan program.
Is Solar Battery Backup Right for Your Home?
Solar battery backup is only as good as the equipment and installer behind it. My Generation Energy installs premium solar battery systems from leading manufacturers, including Enphase and Tesla. With over 15 years of experience designing solar and storage systems in Massachusetts, our team helps you choose a solar battery that fits your home and your goals.
Every battery we offer is backed by a 10‑year warranty, giving you added confidence that your backup power will be there when you need it. As a locally-owned and operated solar company, we design and install systems that are built to last. We can help you decide whether solar battery backup makes sense for your home, design a system tailored to your needs, and walk you through current MA solar battery rebates and incentives so you understand both the reliability & financial benefits.
