Menu
As New York State embraces renewable energy, GreenSpark Solar empowers homeowners with sustainable solutions like solar energy battery storage. Residential battery storage enhances energy independence by ensuring reliable access to power—even during outages. In this guide, we’ll cover the essentials of solar battery backup, its benefits, and why choosing a trusted partner like GreenSpark Solar is critical for your home energy investment.
Table of Contents
The Benefits of Solar Battery Backup
What is solar battery backup?
Solar battery backup systems allow homeowners to store excess solar energy for later use, ensuring their homes remain powered even during grid outages.
Unless you have a battery storage system, when the grid goes down, your solar array turns off to protect utility workers and first responders working on or near the power lines. Solar customers with battery storage can keep their solar array up and running and continue powering their homes with clean energy from their battery backup, increasing energy independence and ensuring a reliable power supply at all times.
Benefits of solar battery backup in New York:
- Protect against outages: Seamlessly maintain power to your home during blackouts with a fully charged battery.
- Gain energy independence: Reduce reliance on the grid and insulate yourself from fluctuating utility rates or future changes to New York’s net metering policy.
- Maximize federal incentives: Battery backup and solar panels are both eligible for the 30% Investment Tax Credit (through the Inflation Reduction Act), providing a substantial return on your investment come tax time.
How does solar battery backup work?
After powering your home, any extra power your solar panels produce will charge your battery until it’s at total capacity. After it’s reached a full charge, anything above and beyond will flow to the grid and be credited to you via net metering.
During an outage, your battery will power your home and keep your solar panels up and running. During the day, your solar panels can power your home and recharge your battery at night.
How does battery storage differ from a generator?
At the core, a generator and battery storage system fulfill the same purpose: powering your home during an outage. However, with battery backup, you benefit from:
- A safer, cleaner power source: battery storage is much safer and quieter, using clean energy from your array instead of fossil fuels.
- An extended warranty: generators typically only offer a one-year warranty, if that, whereas GreenSpark’s battery storage solutions offer 10 and 15-year warranties.
- Enhanced monitoring and control: With solar battery storage, you can monitor your energy usage from a convenient real-time app and adjust settings remotely. A generator is manually powered on and off without any insights or control over how much power you’re consuming.
Compare Your Battery Backup Options
At GreenSpark Solar, we work with you one-on-one to provide the most efficient and economical solar battery backup solution for your needs.
Though each of GreenSpark’s home battery storage solutions differs slightly in features and power specifications, both options are highly efficient for their power ratings, offer fast and seamless turnover time, and are made with lithium ferrous phosphate (LFP)—the industry standard for safety in battery composition.
Franklin aPower 2 Battery
The Franklin aPower 2 is a robust and flexible backup solution offering 15 kWh of storage and 10 kW continuous output. Designed for whole-home resilience, it’s ideal for homeowners wanting serious outage protection and scalability. It also integrates with generators for extended backup power.
Key Features:
15 kWh capacity, 10 kW output
5-ton AC start-up load capability
Seamless integration with any inverter brand
Quiet 30 dBA operation + real-time mobile monitoring
Generator-compatible for multi-day outages
Stackable up to 15 units (225 kWh)
15-year warranty
Eligible for $3,000 NYSERDA battery grant + 30% federal tax credit
Enphase IQ Battery 5P
A compact, stackable solution perfect for smaller homes or individual users. It integrates seamlessly with existing Enphase microinverters and offers flexibility to expand over time.
Key Features:
5 kWh storage
Stackable “Lego-block” design (up to 16 units)
Requires Enphase inverter compatibility
Great for single residents or smaller homes
48 Amp surge start-up
Integrated mobile app + energy monitoring
15-year warranty
Eligible for $1,000 per battery via the new NYSERDA grant + 30% federal tax credit
Tesla Powerwall 3
Known for its sleek design and powerful performance, Tesla’s Powerwall 3 is ideal for homeowners looking for all-in-one whole-home backup with strong surge capacity.
Key Features:
13.5 kWh storage
60 Amp startup surge — great for HVAC
Expandable up to 3 units
Compatible with a wide range of solar inverters
Tesla app for real-time control
10-year warranty
Eligible for $2,700 NYSERDA battery storage rebate + 30% federal tax credit
Optimizing Your Home's Battery Backup
SPAN Smart Panel
The SPAN Smart Panel can be added to any home battery storage system and enables whole-home backup on a single battery by giving you the option to control the power supply down to the circuit. You can remotely adjust where your battery is diverting power via app-based monitoring and controls.
For example, let’s say you just finished a load of laundry, and now need to use the oven. You can turn off the power to your washing machine circuit and turn on the power to the circuit powering your oven.
You’ll have complete visibility into how much energy each circuit consumes and have the controls at your fingertips to adjust consumption as your energy needs dictate during an outage.
Solar Battery Backup Questions and Considerations
How do we determine which battery storage solution is the best fit?
GreenSpark Solar works with you to identify your battery storage needs by determining how much of your home you wish to cover (whole home or specific loads), how long you want to have battery backup power coverage (how long do your power outages typically last), and what type of solar system (if any) you already own. Understanding this information allows GreenSpark to size your battery storage system to fit your specific power needs. The best way to get started is to request a free battery storage assessment from our team.
What does residential battery storage typically cost?
The price varies by system (Enphase vs. Tesla) and the number of units. However, battery storage starts at around $15,600 for a single unit and is eligible for a 30% Federal Tax Credit, and NYSERDA Grant (while incentives last), bringing the starting investment down to just over $10,000 for a single unit.
Each incremental unit added is discounted, and the entire battery storage cost is eligible for the 30% federal tax credit.
Additionally, with our zero-down financing option, which offers no interest for six months, homeowners can enjoy the benefits of battery storage with no upfront costs.
Can an existing solar system be retrofitted with battery storage?
Yes! Our battery storage systems are compatible with existing solar inverters, ensuring seamless integration with your solar array, no matter if it was installed by GreenSpark or another solar installer. We’ll need to know the type of inverters installed so we can recommend the best battery storage system.
Where does battery storage typically get installed?
GreenSpark Solar typically installs battery storage systems in a garage space due to safety and code considerations; however, if the home or town code dictates, we may choose to install a battery system in a basement or fire-safe room. For communication purposes, the transfer switch just needs to be within 250 feet of the inverters.
Does adding battery storage impact my homeowner’s insurance?
While battery storage may affect homeowners insurance, GreenSpark ensures compliance with all safety regulations and town codes and offers solutions to mitigate any impact.
Why Choose GreenSpark Solar for Your Solar Battery Backup Needs?
Battery storage isn’t just about the hardware—it involves complex electrical engineering, permitting, and careful installation to ensure safety and reliability. At GreenSpark Solar, we take the guesswork out of the process with turnkey solutions that include:
- Customized Design: We size your system to match your solar energy production, backup needs, and budget.
- Streamlined Project Management: Our NYSERDA Gold-Certified team handles every detail, from permitting to installation.
- Comprehensive Support: Enjoy peace of mind knowing we provide local, lifelong support for your battery system.
As Rochester’s trusted solar and battery experts, GreenSpark Solar ensures your system works seamlessly when you need it most.
Ready to explore battery backup for your home?
Contact GreenSpark Solar today for a free battery storage consultation and quote.
