In 2017, battery backup and energy storage became some of the hottest growing fields in the face of natural disasters in Puerto Rico, Florida, and Texas as well as being a tool to shift time of use electricity rates across the country. According to the veteran installer, Barry Cinnamon’s 2018 predictions for the solar + storage industries, “battery storage systems that do not have backup capabilities will be at a substantial disadvantage in the marketplace.” The challenge for contractors comes from designing, sourcing, and installing new battery banks from different manufacturers.

While this may present a barrier to entry for some contractors, we are eager to share the world of residential storage with interested installers. Furthermore, grid-tied inverter manufacturers such as SolarEdge, Enphase, and SMA have designed ‘plug and play systems’ to simplify design, procurement, and installation. Here is a brief overview of systems available in 2018:

StorEdge Solution

The StorEdge Solution by SolarEdge combined with LG Chem has transitioned in the second half of 2017 from a highly touted concept to a viable solution for time of use and limited backup power scenarios.

Enphase AC Battery

The Enphase AC Battery is another ‘plug-and-play’ storage option that we anticipate will see a surge of installations in 2018. Because the AC battery system does not require breakers, traditional battery banks, or charge controllers, these batteries give the contractor the option of adding storage to the IQ inverter system without the hassle of sourcing retrofitting-equipment.  The Enphase AC Battery is intended for time of use applications:

SMA Sunny Boy Storage

While fewer details are known about the SMA Sunny Boy Storage solution product launch, SMA has published block diagrams indicating the ability for installers to add storage to traditional SMA grid-tied systems. We look forward to keeping you updated on this exciting product roll-out.  The SMA Sunny Boy Storage product offering is compatible with the LG Chem battery product line.  Here are a couple of preliminary resources outlining the details of the SMA Sunny Boy Storage offering:

Learn more about the SMA Sunny Boy Storage solution here.

With the 3 major residential grid-tied inverters making a push for residential backup and time of use shifting, storage in 2018 will become more simple to install than ever. The days of “do-you-want storage-with-that?” have finally arrived!