Backup power solutions provide a reliable power source when the grid supply is unavailable. Over the past few years, backup power needs have become essential for Americans due to increased power outages. The average U.S. electricity consumer faced 7 hours and 20 minutes[1] without electricity in 2021 due to the collapse of U.S. power grid systems, mainly due to major weather events.
To cope with growing power outages, Americans are actively considering solar battery solutions as their backup power source to power essential appliances during outages. Therefore, this article explores in detail the reliability of solar lithium-ion or solid-state battery solutions during power outages.
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Solar Batteries – A Detailed Overview
Solar batteries harness and store energy generated by solar panels. They are designed to store the DC electricity generated by solar panels during sunlight hours in chemical form, mostly using rechargeable lithium-ion, lead acid, or solid-state battery technologies.
The energy stored in a solar battery during day time is used to charge the battery and then provide the output power in the form of DC or AC (through an inverter) to power electrical devices and appliances. This way, users can use an alternative backup power source during power outages. However, the battery capacity determines what kind of appliances it can power and for how long.
How Solar Batteries Store Energy from Solar Panels
To understand how solar batteries store energy from solar panels, we must dive deep into how solar energy is converted and stored as electric power in the lithium-ion or solid-state battery.
The below steps will clarify the working principle behind solar battery storage:
- When sunlight hits solar panels, the photovoltaic cells within the panels convert the solar energy into direct current (DC) electricity through a process called photovoltaic conversion.
- The solar panels and the solar battery are connected through electrical wiring with a charge controller as an intermediary component that regulates the charging process and prevents overcharging or battery damage.
- The charging process depends on the battery technology used when the DC electricity reaches the battery terminal. Lithium-ion batteries are popular solar batteries, but solid-state batteries are also emerging.
- Lithium-ion Battery Charging: When the DC electricity hits the terminals of the lithium-ion battery, the chemical reaction is triggered. The lithium ions move from the cathode to the anode through the electrolyte solution. This results in the flow of electrons, providing the electrical current required for charging the lithium-ion battery.
- solid-state Battery Charging: When the DC electricity hits the terminals of the solid-state battery, the chemical reaction is triggered. The lithium ions move from the cathode to the anode through the solid electrolyte. This results in the flow of electrons, providing the electrical current required for charging the solid-state battery.
The main difference between lithium-ion and solid-state battery charging lies in the composition of the electrolyte. Lithium-ion batteries use liquid or gel electrolytes, while solid-state batteries use solid electrolytes.
- The solar panels keep converting solar energy into DC electricity, and the battery keeps charging. Once the battery is fully charged, the stored electricity is now available to power appliances.
- The DC appliances, like smartphones, tablets, and others, are chargeable directly from the battery, while the inverter converts DC into AC power to supply electricity to AC appliances.
This way, a solar battery, whether a lithium-ion or solid-state battery, stores solar panels' energy and supplies it to power a wide range of appliances.
Key Features of Solar Batteries
Now that the working principle is cleared, let's shed light on the key features of solar batteries, especially from the power outage perspective:
- Continuous and Extended Power Availability: Solar batteries provide continuous power availability for extended hours during power outages.
- Independence from Grid: Solar batteries require zero reliance on the grid for charging. All their operations revolve around charging from sunlight and discharging by powering devices/appliances.
- Rapid Charging: Solar batteries can charge quickly, making them able to fully charge during daylight hours and provide an uninterrupted power supply.
- Easy Configuration and Usage: Solar batteries are easy to configure with solar panels and output loads.
- Long-Lasting Durability: Solar batteries offer long lifespans and can withstand harsh environmental conditions.
All the above features of solar batteries and many more are a glimpse of their powerful capabilities in powering electrical appliances during small to extended power outages.
Benefits of Solar Batteries for Backup Power
Solar batteries have become a popular choice to fulfill backup power needs owing to their various benefits over other backup power solutions. Below are the five key benefits of solar batteries worth knowing:
1. Free and Continuous Energy
A solar battery is charged through sunlight, which is freely available to everyone every day. All it requires is placing solar panels in a location with direct access to sunlight and charging the lithium-ion or solid-state battery through free solar energy.
Unlike other backup power solutions that rely on fossil fuels or grid electricity, solar batteries use renewable energy, leading to free, continuous, and sustainable backup power.
2. Emergency Preparedness
Solar batteries are an excellent backup power solution for emergencies. They can hold the charge for ultra-long standby time. This empowers them to ensure that critical devices/appliances such as refrigerators, smartphones, and others remain operational throughout the outage period.
3. Store and Provide Power for Extended Outages
Another leading benefit of solar batteries is their ability to store and provide power for extended outages. Since solar batteries do not require a grid supply or fossil fuel to charge, they can continue the process of charging from solar energy and discharging by supplying power to appliances. This makes them highly reliable for powering electrical devices during extended outages that can last for a few days.
4. Cost Saving
A solar battery system is a highly cost-effective way to fulfill backup power needs. A one-time initial investment is required to purchase solar panels, a lithium-ion or solid-state battery, and the inverter. In fact, there are now even portable solar power stations available that include the battery, inverter, and input/output ports in one compact structure.
Once a solar battery system is set up, the rest of its usage is totally free. All the power you harness from the sun or battery during power outages requires no single penny. Moreover, solar batteries also feature long-lasting performance, reducing maintenance costs.
5. Environmental Friendliness
Solar batteries provide an environmental-friendly and greener backup power source. The energy harnessed from solar panels does not generate greenhouse gases or pollutants. Moreover, the battery in the solar system does not generate noise. So, all the operations of the solar battery system are clean, leading to a sustainable environment.
Reliability of Solar Batteries During Power Outages
Power outages can occur at any time and for any duration. Sometimes the power outage can last for a whole day or even more. So, a backup power solution should be reliable enough to withstand any minor to severe power outage. This is the reliability that solar batteries offer during power outages.
Imagine a power outage situation where it is unknown when the grid supply will return. So, suppose you have a solar battery bank in place. In that case, you can charge it through solar panels and power your essential appliances. Once the battery is discharged, you can charge it again with solar panels and continue fulfilling your power needs. This way, no matter how long the power outage is, solar light batteries exhibit resilience in maintaining the power supply.
The time duration for how long a solar battery can provide backup power depends on its capacity and run time. For instance, a 1002 Wh capacity solid-state battery can provide 10 hours of backup power if your connected devices consume 100 watts of power.
Best Solar Batteries for Backup Power in the U.S.
Now that you know solar batteries' features, benefits, and reliability, it is equally important to know which solar batteries are best for backup power in the U.S. The best solar batteries are the ones that come equipped with an inverter, built-in input/output ports, and safety features.
To help ease the hassle of finding the best solar batteries, below are the three top-notch solar batteries that offer the best features and performance to fulfill almost any backup power need during power outages:
1. Jackery Explorer 1500 Pro Portable Power Station
Jackery Explorer 1500 Pro Portable Power Station features a 1512Wh battery capacity and a power output of 1800W (3600W surge) to power 95% of essential devices during power outages. It can power all of them efficiently, from smartphones, tablets, laptops, and speakers to kettles, coffee makers, and portable air conditioners. The best part is that its battery is chargeable in just 4 hours with solar panels, while it can charge/power 8 devices simultaneously.
The key features of the Jackery Explorer 1500 Pro Portable Power Station include:
- 1512Wh capacity & 1800W (3600W surge) power
- Multiple charging options, i.e., solar panels, AC wall charging, and car DC ports
- Multiple output ports, i.e., 3x AC ports, 1x DC port, 2x USB-A ports, and 2x USB-C ports.
- Simultaneous charging of 8 devices
- Pure sine wave inverter
- 2000 charge cycles at 70% power
- 8 temperature sensors
- Ultra-long standby – lasts 472 days at 80%
- Shock-resistant & fire-retardant (UL 94V-0 Standard)
- 46dB quiet operation
- Intelligent battery management system (BMS) for enhanced safety
- Excellent EMI design
- 4 lbs lightweight
In short, when there is a need for a compact, powerful, and lightweight solar battery system to address power outages, Jackery Explorer 1500 Pro Portable Power Station is the best fit.
2. Jackery Explorer 2000 Pro Portable Power Station
The second best portable solar charger and battery solution for power backup is Jackery Explorer 2000 Pro Portable Power Station. It has a 2160Wh battery capacity and a powerful 2200W (4400W surge) output power. It can power all imaginable appliances during power outages, including air conditioners, full-sized refrigerators, hot plates, and similar others.
The key features of the Jackery Explorer 2000 Pro Portable Power Station include:
- 2160Wh capacity & 2200W (4400W surge) power
- Multiple charging options, i.e., solar panels, AC wall charging, and car DC ports
- Multiple output ports, i.e., 3x AC ports, 1x DC port, 2x USB-A ports, and 2x USB-C ports
- Simultaneous charging of 8 devices
- Pure sine wave inverter
- Smart LED display to show 18 different working states
- Shock-resistant & fire-retardant (UL 94V-0 Standard)
- Intelligent battery management system (BMS) for enhanced safety
- 53 lbs lightweight with foldable handle design
- 10+ years of service life
- 5 years warranty
Jackery Explorer 2000 Pro Portable Power Station is the best backup station to fulfill almost all power needs during power outages.
3. Jackery Explorer 3000 Pro Portable Power Station
When frequent or prolonged power outages occur, Jackery Explorer 3000 Pro Portable Power Station comes into action. It features a gigantic 3024Wh capacity battery and massive 3000W power output, making it offer long-lasting runtime with the ability to power 99% of appliances. Despite its gigantic battery, it gets fully charged in 6-7.5 hours with 6 SolarSaga 100W solar panels.
The key features of the Jackery Explorer 3000 Pro Portable Power Station include:
- 3024Wh capacity & 3000W power
- Multiple charging options, i.e., solar panels, AC wall charging, and car DC ports
- Multiple output ports, i.e., 5x AC ports, 1x DC ports, 2x USB-A ports, and 2x USB-C ports
- Power 99% of appliances for extended hours
- Pure sine wave inverter
- Smartphone app to control the power station wirelessly
- 30% smaller and lighter than similar products
- 93 lbs lightweight
- Quick setup in just 1 minute
- 9 temperature sensors
- Intelligent battery management system (BMS) for enhanced safety
- 5 years warranty
In short, Jackery Explorer 3000 Pro Portable Power Station is best suited for Americans who live in weather-prone areas, frequently experience power outages, or have plenty of devices/appliances to power for extended hours during power outages.
Conclusion
The U.S. recorded an increase of 73% in power outages during 2020[2], mainly due to extreme weather events. Considering the increasing impacts of climate change and more expected power outages, having a reliable backup power solution is necessary today. Solar battery system serves as the ideal backup power source due to solar-based lithium-ion or solid-state battery charging and eco-friendly operations.
If you set up a solar battery backup system, Jackery portable solar stations are your ideal companion. Known as the leading global supplier of portable power stations and recognized by 150+ media and organizations worldwide, Jackery provides a rich product line of portable solar generators that are ideal companions during power outages.
Their fast solar charging, multiple output ports, compact size, and safety features all make them the best backup power solutions. So, explore Jackery's inventory of portable solar batteries and find the one that best aligns with your power needs.