Enphase AC Battery Storage

    enphase battery storage walesEnphase Energy is a California-based solar equipment manufacturer best known for making microinverters. Now, the company has introduced a home energy storage solution, which includes a solar battery paired with an Enphase microinverter.

    But how does the Enphase AC Battery measure up against other home energy storage options? Read on to learn more about the Enphase Storage System's technology, cost, and warranty coverage.

    What is the Enphase Storage System?

    The Enphase AC battery system pairs with a solar panel installation to store energy at home, manage your energy costs, and provide backup power. It offers 1.2 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of energy storage, and you can install it with a new solar panel system or add it to an existing solar panel system with Enphase microinverters.

    How does the Enphase AC Battery work?

    The Enphase home battery is an ideal pairing for solar panel systems, especially if your utility has reduced or no net metering, time-of-use rates, or demand charges. Installing a solar storage solution like the Enphase battery allows you to store solar power at home for you to use later when electricity is more expensive.

    As with other energy storage products, the Enphase AC battery is sized for day-to-day use at your home, and is usually installed alongside a home solar panel system. You can store your solar energy at home in the Enphase battery pack instead of sending it back into the electric grid. Later, you can use the electricity stored in your Enphase home battery instead of having to buy it from your utility.

    How is the Enphase Storage System different from other home batteries?

    The Enphase Storage System is smaller than other home batteries like the Tesla Powerwall. It isn’t designed to take you off the grid or provide backup power. Instead, it can be used to increase your “self-consumption” of solar energy throughout the day, which can reduce your electric bills if your utility has time-of-use (TOU) rates or demand charges.

    Time-of-use rates

    Places with time-of-use (TOU) electricity rates, such as California, have electricity prices that vary throughout the day. When your electricity rates are higher (typically in the mid-to-late afternoon), you can use the energy stored in your battery instead of buying from the utility.

    If you have an Enphase battery to store energy on-site, you can reduce the amount of energy you need from the grid, which can save you money.

    What warranties come with the Enphase battery system, and how long does the battery last?

    The Enphase AC Battery system comes with a 10-year warranty. If the battery packs malfunction during that time, the product is eligible for replacement under Enphase’s battery warranty.

    Enphase’s lithium ion battery technology is similar to other rechargeable batteries both large and small: as time goes on, the battery loses some of its ability to hold a charge. Think of how the battery life of a brand-new smartphone compares to one that is a few years old. As you continually charge and drain your phone’s battery, it starts to lose some of its ability to hold a charge.

    The life of your Enphase will deteriorate in the same way. That isn’t an indicator of a product flaw – all batteries lose some of their ability to hold a charge over time, whether it’s an electric vehicle battery, a home energy battery, or a rechargeable AA battery.

    In addition to the 10-year replacement warranty, Enphase also guarantees that your battery will maintain at least 80 percent of its capacity at the end of 10 years.

    Can you go "off the grid" with Enphase and solar?

    Installing a solar-plus-storage system at your home is a great way to take control of your electricity bill, but it doesn’t mean that you’re completely disconnected from your utility. Going "off the grid" with solar and batteries is actually a more expensive and complicated proposition than you might think, and the Enphase home battery can’t store enough energy to power your home for days on end.

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