Overview

When the power goes out, solar panels alone can only keep your lights on if they’re paired with a home battery backup. Together, these two technologies form a powerful duo that protects your home against blackouts, saves you money, and makes you less dependent on the grid. In this blog, Ready Solar Inc explains how battery backup and solar systems work together, how inverters and hybrid configurations ensure seamless operation during outages, and more.

Highlights

Introduction

Every year, BC homeowners experience power interruptions. During these moments, even the most efficient solar panels stop delivering energy once the grid goes down. However, that doesn’t mean your home has to go dark.

By pairing your solar panels with a home battery backup, you create a system that can operate independently of the grid, so you continue running essential systems without interruption.

Below, we’ll explain how hybrid solar-battery systems work, why they’re becoming the new standard for resilient home energy in British Columbia, and how they help homeowners gain true energy independence while protecting themselves from rising utility costs.

How Solar and Batteries Work Together During Outages

When the sun shines, your solar panels generate electricity. Some of that power is used immediately to run your home, while any excess flows back into the grid, or into your battery if you have one. Without a battery, your solar array must shut off during an outage to prevent back-feeding electricity into power lines that crews may be repairing.

A battery changes that. When paired with an inverter that can “island” your home, your system disconnects safely from the grid and uses stored solar energy to power your house. Essentially, your home becomes its own microgrid.

The solar panels continue charging the battery during daylight, and when the sun sets or clouds roll in, your battery takes over, providing consistent, uninterrupted power. In well-designed hybrid systems, the transition happens in less than a second. You may not even notice the grid has gone down.

Battery Storage Enhances Energy Independence

Pairing a battery with solar power turns your home into an active energy manager rather than a passive consumer. Instead of sending surplus electricity back to the grid, you can store it for later use. During the day, your solar panels charge your batteries once your home’s immediate energy needs are met. When night falls or an outage occurs, that stored power automatically takes over, keeping your lights and essential systems running without interruption.

Understanding Inverter Configuration and Hybrid Systems

The inverter is the heart of every solar and battery backup system. It makes the power from your panels and batteries usable for your home. By converting direct current (DC) electricity into alternating current (AC), the inverter allows your solar energy to run household appliances, charge your battery, and interact safely with the grid.

Not all inverters work the same way. The type of inverter you have determines how your solar and battery system behaves during grid outages, how energy is stored, and whether your panels can keep generating power when the grid is down.

Here are the three main types of inverter configurations and how each one performs.

Grid-Tied Inverters

A grid-tied inverter is the most common configuration for standard solar systems. It connects your solar panels directly to the utility grid, converting DC power to AC and sending any extra energy back to the grid for credit through net metering.

The main advantage of a grid-tied setup is cost efficiency. It is simple, reliable, and excellent for reducing your electricity bill. However, there is one major limitation: When the grid goes down, your solar system shuts off. This is a required safety feature that prevents back-feeding electricity into power lines while crews are repairing them.

This configuration works well for homeowners who want to lower their electricity costs but aren’t concerned about maintaining power during blackouts.

Battery-Based Inverters

These systems manage both solar power generation and the flow of energy from the battery bank.

During the day, the inverter directs solar energy to your home and charges your batteries. When night falls or an outage occurs, the inverter switches automatically to battery power, keeping your essential systems running.

Since these systems aren’t connected to the grid, they offer true energy independence. They’re a good choice for rural properties, remote cabins, or homes that experience frequent power interruptions.

Hybrid Inverters

A hybrid inverter combines the advantages of both grid-tied and battery-based systems. It connects to the grid while also managing your solar panels and battery storage. With a hybrid system, you can store excess solar power in your battery, send surplus energy to the grid for credits, and draw power from the grid when needed. During a blackout, the inverter isolates your home from the grid and powers your essential circuits using the stored energy from your battery.

This flexible configuration allows you to choose how your energy is used, stored, or exported based on your needs. You can focus on maximizing savings, improving efficiency, or ensuring that your home continues operating without interruption.

The downsides to hybrid inverters are that they’re generally more expensive and complex to install. This makes them only really worth it for properties that really want or need both a grid connection and power in case of a blackout.

Benefits of Pairing Battery Backup With Solar

When installed together, solar panels and home batteries form an ecosystem of efficiency, resilience, and control. Homeowners often describe the transition as “energy freedom.”

Here are the top advantages:

  • Power continuity: Even when the grid fails, your essential systems keep running smoothly.
  • Maximized solar investment: Store the energy you generate instead of sending it back at lower compensation rates.
  • Peak savings: Use stored power during high-demand, high-cost hours to lower your bills.
  • Sustainability: Reduce reliance on fossil fuel backup generators and lower your carbon footprint.
  • Property value: Homes equipped with hybrid solar-battery systems often command higher resale value due to energy resilience.

For British Columbia homeowners, the ability to operate independently during outages is particularly appealing. With extreme weather events becoming more frequent, backup power provides excellent security against outages.

Why System Design Matters

Not all solar-battery systems are created equal. The quality of design and installation determines how efficiently your home transitions between solar, battery, and grid power.

A well-engineered system ensures that your solar panels and battery communicate seamlessly with your inverter and load panel. This coordination prevents overloads, protects sensitive electronics, and optimizes charging cycles for long-term battery health.

Solar Batteries vs. Generators

Many homeowners compare solar battery backup to traditional generators. Both provide emergency power, but their performance, reliability, and sustainability differ dramatically.

Generators rely on fuel and mechanical components that require frequent maintenance, emit noise, and produce carbon emissions. They can also take time to start when the power goes out. Solar battery systems, by contrast, activate instantly and silently. They store clean energy generated from your own panels and require little to no maintenance. With hybrid systems, your batteries can even recharge from solar during prolonged outages, making them ideal for long-term resilience.

Which Choice Works Best for You?

For eco-conscious households or those aiming for energy independence, solar batteries are the smarter, quieter, more convenient, and greener solution.

Incentives and Rebates Available in BC and Across Canada

One of the biggest advantages of adopting solar-plus-battery technology in British Columbia is that multiple government programs and incentives help offset your investment costs. Pairing your solar array with a battery system can make you eligible for both provincial and federal benefits.

BC Hydro Net Metering Program

Under BC Hydro’s Net Metering program, homeowners who generate excess solar electricity can feed it back into the grid and earn 10 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for surplus power. This lets you make the most of your solar production while keeping your battery charged for when you need it most.

BC Hydro Rebates

BC Hydro offers up to $5,000 in rebates for solar panel installations and an additional $5,000 for battery backup systems. This program makes it even more advantageous to add a battery backup to your system.

Clean Technology Investment Tax Credit (Commercial Projects)

Businesses installing solar PV, wind, or energy storage technologies can claim a 30% refundable tax credit on all eligible project costs from March 28, 2023, through 2034. This program encourages commercial property owners to invest in clean energy while directly reducing their tax burden.

These programs make it easier than ever to adopt hybrid solar-battery systems that deliver immediate savings, long-term energy independence, and measurable environmental benefits.

Keep Your Home Powered With Ready Solar Inc

When the grid goes down, your home shouldn’t. Ready Solar Inc specializes in hybrid solar and battery systems designed for resilience, efficiency, and total peace of mind.

Our certified solar technicians handle every step—from consultation to installation—with precision, transparency, and care. With our advanced home battery backup solutions, you can keep your essential systems running 24/7.

Call (604) 262-6919 today to schedule your consultation and discover how solar and battery backup can work together to keep your lights on.