Food? Check. Bug spray? Check. Gas for that noisy generator? Ugh. Still have to get that, and it’s going to be a nuisance to travel with — especially for my island home. If only there were a better solution for powering camp and island homes here in Maine.
Fortunately, there is. With an off-grid system you can supply your home with electricity generated by clean solar energy, without having to rely on a noisy generator or wasteful gallons of gas ever again.
How Going Solar Increases Your Energy Independence Year Round
A solar electric (or PV) system absorbs solar energy and turns it into electricity your home can use. Many solar PV systems are “grid-tied,” meaning they supply your home with the electricity they generate and then draw from the power grid as needed to provide uninterrupted power. Though a grid-tied system draws on the power grid at times of lower energy production, it still reduces your reliance on your local utility significantly. Here in Maine, we’ve helped many homeowners reduce their reliance on Central Maine Power (CMP) with solar.
Boost Your Energy Independence with Battery Backup
If you want even greater energy independence with your grid-tied solar PV system, you’ll want battery backup. Battery backup stores the excess electricity your system generates for times of low energy production, such as at night. It also provides backup power at times of excess electricity needs, such as during the winter if you have a heat pump. Rather than drawing on the power grid, you can use the excess electricity your system generates to keep your house running.
When a power outage occurs, your battery backup system will also provide continuous power for your lighting and key appliances.
The Best Battery Backup Solutions for Maine Vacation Homes
At Maine Solar Solutions, we have extensive experience designing and installing grid-tied systems with battery storage. Most often, the systems we design feature a lithium ion based battery backup system from LG or Sonnen. We’ve also designed systems with traditional lead acid battery backup.
Many of our customers ask us about Tesla Powerwall. As far as we know, it will be some time before Tesla Powerwall is available here in Maine. However, we do offer battery backup solutions by Panasonic and Sony, which are similar in capacity to the Powerwall.
We’ll Help You Find the Right Solar Solution for You
Considering solar for your vacation home? Maine Solar Solutions can help you design and install a custom grid-tied system with battery backup for your camp or island home. This type of system will offset your utility bills significantly and power the most critical loads when the power is out.
Designing the best system for your needs starts with a free in-home solar consultation. We’ll work with you to assess your solar electric system needs, including which devices you want your system to power in the event of a power outage. Then we’ll measure the total electrical load at your home and design a custom system that meets this capacity. Your system will feature battery backup to store the excess power your system generates year-round and keep certain appliances running during a power outage.
