Solar energy and battery backup solutions are growing in popularity with the increased frequency of California’s public safety power shutoffs, time-of-use billing, and disaster-related power outages. Turning to solar energy with battery storage gives households and businesses more control over their energy usage and costs. To take this a step further, OutBack Power Technologies, Inc. is partnering with Bay City Electric Works to provide robust backup power with a complete home resiliency solution that combines battery storage with KOHLER brand generators for reliable and longer-lasting backup power solutions.
“Partnering with OutBack Power and combining their storage technology with our generators will provide energy savings every day and seamless backup power to residents when they face power outages,” said Rod Lee, President, Bay City Electric Works. “By using batteries during higher time-of-use rates, homeowner’s electric bills will be reduced while lowering emissions and fuel consumption.”
Bay City Electric Works carries a range of KOHLER generators, from 8 to 150 kW output capabilities. Their residential generators are designed for large or small homes needing whole or partial backup power. Bay City and OutBack Power are combining the KOHLER generator and creating a hybrid system with the FLEXpower Radian integrated system or SkyBox true hybrid energy system with 11 to 22kWh of lithium-ion battery storage.
How it works
In residential, grid-connected homes, when utility power is interrupted, an automated relay system signals the generator to start and quickly transfers the electrical loads from the failed utility to the backup batteries. The generator automatically starts up when the batteries run low or when an air conditioner or other large appliance needs to run. When utility power is restored, the system transfers the electrical loads back to the utility and shuts down the generator. By being fully compatible with OutBack Power’s automatic generator start functionality, the system can also start the generator during a power outage and recharge the batteries when they hit a recharge voltage or a specific time of day. This system can also be installed in off-grid homes to utilize generator power when backup batteries are low.
“These pre-engineered systems take the guesswork out of sizing the battery backup. With OutBack’s SystemEdge packages combined with Bay City’s generators residents won’t be left wondering if they will have power,” said Paul Dailey, Director of Product & Market Strategy, OutBack Power.
With a generator to provide for peak loads, the solar + storage system can be optimized for the best economic returns without compromising backup capacity. The solar + storage system is, in many cases, also eligible for the federal Investment Tax Credit and California’s Self Generation Incentive Program.
— Solar Builder magazine
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