Category: Uncategorized

If your solar system is grid-tied, you will have access to the power grid to offset any power that your solar panels do not produce. But when the power goes out, will you have power?

The quick answer is no, your solar panels will not be able to power your home or business during a power outage. An exception is if your system is equipped with energy storage such as a solar battery, then you can use your solar energy for power during a power outage.

Our team at Solar Bear Orlando explains!

What is On-Grid Solar?

If your solar system is grid-tied, you will be connected to your local utility’s grid. You will be able to draw power from the electrical grid when your system isn’t generating energy, and you in turn can send excess energy to the grid for credit, in a system called net metering.

An off-grid system is not connected to the utility grid. In this case, you will not have access to electricity from a utility other than what is generated by your solar system or stored in solar storage batteries. The benefit here is that you will be able to power your home if the power is out.

The caveat here though is that to have a solar system in the city limits of Orlando, it has to be connected to the grid. 

Why Do Power Outages Happen?

We get it. Power outages are pretty inconvenient no matter the time of day, but have you ever wondered why they happen?

Lightning is one of the most common causes of outages, but other weather-related occurrences such as heavy winds or rain could also wipe out your power.

Car accidents can also lead to power outages if power lines or poles are damaged.

If natural causes weren’t enough, utility companies often have routine outages due to maintenance.

Living in areas that are prone to hurricanes and natural disasters doesn’t help. We know that these storms often cause the power to be out for days, weeks, or even months.

How to Use Solar Panels During an Outage

If you want to be able to draw electricity when the power goes out with a grid-tied system, you will want to install a method of energy storage, such as a solar storage battery.

Installing one or more solar batteries will allow you to store the unused power that is generated by your solar system. You will also be able to draw on that power without putting utility workers in danger in the event that the grid is down. 

By diverting the excess solar energy from your solar panels to a backup battery, you can power essential appliances and the most important rooms in your home during an outage.

While a generator can be a temporary solution, they run on fossil fuels and can be quite dangerous to use. Solar storage batteries make storing excess energy safe. Plus, you have the freedom to choose how much you want to back up in case of a power outage.

Solar Batteries

A solar energy storage battery stores the unused electricity in the battery. During a blackout, they can power:

• Lights
• Mobile devices
• Refrigerators
• Cooktops
• Medical devices

However, it is important to note that backup batteries don’t provide enough power for the average HVAC system, since that requires a lot of electricity to keep going.

How long your battery lasts will depend on its storage capacity. The higher it is, the longer you can weather through an outage, given conservative energy consumption. Most solar batteries have apps that will also let you monitor real-time usage.

Stay Powered During an Outage

If you want greater peace of mind during a power outage in Florida, it might be time to have a solar system installed by our team at Solar Bear Orlando. We can help you decide which size is right for your property and get you set up with a solar storage battery system so you can use your excess energy in a blackout.

Ready to get started? Call us today at (727) 471-7442!

Tis the season! The season of net metering, that is. If you are ready to begin your net metering journey as a TECO customer, Solar Bear of Tampa can help you connect your home seamlessly.

The first step to solar independence is to have our team perform a complimentary energy audit that will assess your home and its electrical needs. During that time, we will also review variables like your monthly electricity usage, shading or other obstacles, roof direction, and location so we can determine the best solar panel setup for your home. Once setup and installation are completed, you are on your way to effortlessly earn financial incentives.

Upon your system’s installation, owners must then complete an application and interconnection agreement. Note that it may take up to 30 calendar days of receipt to receive approval. TECO must perform and approve this inspection, which also includes the installation of an acceptable disconnect switch.

Once net metering has begun, your monthly billing statement will include a Total Used column that displays your kilowatts (kWh) delivered, also known as the amount of electricity delivered to you from TECO’s grid. It will also include any kWh received from TECO’s grid. To help customers identify the various readings on the bi-directional meter, you can use the Smart Meter Guide and Non-Smart Meter Guide. This meter will then track the electricity sent and taken from the grid. Any excess electricity will be sold to TECO’s grid and either deducted from your monthly bill or credited toward a future bill based on your current retail energy rate.

If you are interested in learning more about net metering for your home, speak with our team of experts at Solar Bear of Tampa. Call us at (727) 741-7442 or schedule your free estimate online today.

Everyone knows that you can save money on electricity by switching to solar power, but where exactly can you put that energy to effective use? Light fixtures and fans are a given since they require minimal energy and will barely dip into your solar reserves, but you can also use that energy to power other household appliances. Solar Bear Houston will show you which appliances can be run on solar panels so you can experience a smaller electricity bill.

Running Your Kitchen on Solar

The kitchen is where solar energy really shines. This is one part of the house that uses a great deal of electricity and so having solar power to back you up really makes a difference in this single room.

Refrigerators

Your fridge likely uses up the most electricity out of everything else in your kitchen. Therefore, it’s essential to have a storage bank for your solar panels that your fridge can draw energy from. Having a setup like this can save your food from spoiling during a surprise power outage.

Electric Stoves

Electric stoves also consume a lot of energy, but solar power can still be useful here with the help of a storage bank and the right power converter. During emergencies, you can bulk up on meals by cooking multiple dishes at once to further conserve your solar energy since you’ll use up more electricity the longer you have the stove on.

Microwaves

As long as you have a power converter with a higher wattage than your microwave, you can survive off of microwavable meals using only solar energy. You can set it to low power to save your solar reserves, and owning an energy-saving microwave also helps.

Powering the Laundry Room

While the ability to cook and preserve meals is no doubt a necessity, being able to do laundry is also essential. Washing machines in particular consume a great deal of energy, especially when using warm or hot water. Thankfully, you can utilize your solar panels to cut costs when washing your clothes. Your dryer can also use solar energy, although it doesn’t require as much as the washing machine. And of course, you can always look into energy-efficient dryers to cut down on energy usage even more.

What About My AC?

The air conditioner is perhaps the #1 culprit when it comes to energy usage, but it’s nothing that solar panels can’t handle. For a central AC unit at 3500 watts, it would only take around 15 solar panels at 250-300 watts each to run your system completely on solar power. A setup like this can cut your electric bill down by nearly half! You just need to find the right contractors for the job to really see the benefits come to fruition.

Call Solar Bear for Solar Panels In Houston!

For a solar panel setup that can run your home appliances and bring you noticeable savings, Solar Bear Houston is the best place in Texas to get the job done! We provide quality service with the best solar panels around for guaranteed satisfaction. Call (727) 471-7442 for a free estimate.

As the solar industry continues to grow, more and more homeowners are wondering if they need to notify their electricity utility that they are using solar. The answer is: it depends.

If you have a grid-tied solar system, you likely will not need to notify your electricity supplier. This is because grid-tied systems are connected to the utility grid, and excess electricity produced by the system is fed back into the grid. In most cases, your utility company will have a net metering policy in place that credits you for this excess electricity.

However, if you have a stand-alone or off-grid solar system, you will need to notify your electricity supplier. This is because these types of systems are not connected to the utility grid and therefore do not have access to net metering policies.

Learn more from our solar pros at Solar Bear Orlando!

Grid-Tied Solar Systems

When you install a grid-tied solar system, you are essentially becoming your own power plant, generating electricity for yourself, and selling the excess back to the utility company. This is made possible through a process called net metering. To take advantage of net metering, you need to notify your electricity supplier that you are generating your own power.

Most states have laws in place that require utilities to offer net metering to their customers. Net metering allows you to sell the excess electricity generated by your solar system back to the utility company at the same rate that you pay for electricity. This is a terrific way to offset the cost of your solar installation and save money on your electric bill.

To take advantage of net metering, you need to notify your electricity supplier that you are installing a solar system.

Getting Solar Approval

Before your solar system can be activated and hooked into the electrical grid, a process known as “interconnection,” you must obtain approval from your utility company. This is important because it ensures your solar installation can safely connect and operate on the electrical grid.

The first step in this approval process involved obtaining formal permission to operate. During the process, you will have to complete a net metering application for interconnection.

City Solar Inspection

After your net metering application for interconnection has been approved by your utility, an inspection is required from the city before you can operate your solar system.

This onsite inspection ensures that everything has been properly installed and according to approved plans. Once the city inspection is complete, your utility will be informed that your solar system meets all the necessary requirements for operation. Then they will issue you permission to operate your solar system.

Now you can start saving money on your monthly energy bill!

What Will My Utility Bills Look Like with Solar?

When you use grid-tied solar, you will still receive a bill each month, and it will show how many kWh you have used and produced that month.

Most likely, you won’t have 100% energy offset from your solar power system and will have to use some amount of energy from the grid for your home’s needs. However, since you are using solar energy and putting energy back into the grid, you will be charged quite a bit less since you aren’t using as much energy.

Go Solar Today

If you’d like to take advantage of Florida’s ample sunshine to power your home, what are you waiting for? Call Solar Bear Orlando for a solar consultation today! We will help you figure out which size system is right for you, and help you get started with net metering in Central Florida!

Go solar with Solar Bear today! Call us for a quote at (727) 471-7442!