Should you get battery energy storage?

Installing and interconnecting a home battery/energy storage system will enable you to store solar energy during the day to be used at night, when solar is unable to produce energy, or should power not be available via the grid. 

On average, a 13-kilowatt-hour (kWh) storage installation in Florida costs between $15,000 and $20,000 and lasts about 10 to 15 years. Incentives like the investment tax credit (ITC) can bring the price you pay down considerably. 

Do you need emergency backup power?

It’s important to understand that during a power outage, a grid-tied solar system alone will not provide power to your home or business; they are designed to shut off when the grid goes down. This is a safety requirement that prevents your system from back-feeding electricity onto the grid and electrocuting line workers.

While Tampa Electric provides 99.98 percent service reliability, power outages can still occur, especially during Florida’s storm season. This might be a reason to consider a home battery system, especially if you’re dependent on medical equipment. The only way you can depend on having power when the grid goes down is to install and interconnect a home battery system to your existing interconnected solar. When interconnected properly, you can store solar energy during the day and use it if grid power is not available.

Connecting your storage system 

You will be required to interconnect your home battery system. Once your system is installed, the installer must complete these Tampa Electric steps to interconnect your system. 

Learn more about energy storage.