Can solar panels power my home during a blackout?
Can solar panels power my home during a blackout?
Many homeowners considering solar ask whether their system can keep their home powered during a blackout. It's a logical question, especially since solar energy is closely associated with energy independence. However, the answer isn't quite as straightforward as it first seems.
UK regulations and solar systems during blackouts
In the UK, electrical regulations state clearly that solar PV systems must automatically shut down in the event of a power cut. At first glance, this might seem counterintuitive. After all, you have solar panels producing energy right on your roof, so why shouldn't you use that energy when the grid is down?
The reason for this regulation is safety. When there's a power outage, engineers may be working to repair grid infrastructure. If your solar system continued exporting electricity into the grid during repairs, workers could unknowingly handle wires they believe are safe but are actually live. Thus, automatic shutdowns are necessary for their protection.
Backup gateways and advanced solar storage solutions
Thankfully, certain advanced solar and battery storage solutions can legally and safely overcome this limitation. Products from manufacturers like SigEnergy, Tesla, and GivEnergy provide what's called a gateway. This gateway isolates your home from the national grid during a blackout, allowing your solar panels and batteries to continue working safely, independently from the grid.
When a blackout occurs, these gateways quickly disconnect your home from the mains power. Your solar system can then continue generating electricity, and your battery storage system can continue charging and discharging as normal. This setup effectively turns your home into a self-contained microgrid during outages, keeping critical systems running smoothly.
How quickly do these gateways kick in?
The switchover time varies between manufacturers and systems. Premium systems like SigEnergy’s gateway offer an impressive 0-millisecond (0ms) switchover. This means your home instantly shifts to battery and solar power during an outage, without any noticeable interruption. In practical terms, your lights won’t even flicker, and devices like Wi-Fi routers, CCTV systems, and computers remain unaffected. This always happens automatically, there's no switch on the wall or input required from yourself, it's entirely autonomous.
Other systems may have a slightly longer switchover time, usually just a fraction of a second. In these cases, you might briefly notice the lights flicker, and some sensitive electronics like computers, routers, or security cameras may briefly restart, taking a short moment to come back online.
Should you invest in a gateway?
If maintaining power during outages is important to you, perhaps you rely heavily on technology, need medical devices like CPAP machines or a stair lift, or live in an area prone to power cuts, a battery storage system with a gateway function can add significant value. It provides peace of mind, ensuring your home remains powered even during grid disruptions.
At Creative Low Carbon, we offer expert guidance to help you choose a system perfectly matched to your needs. Whether it's rapid, uninterrupted switchover you require or simply basic power backup functionality, we're here to help you make the right choice.
Get in touch today if you’d like to discuss how solar and battery storage can keep your home powered, whatever happens on the grid.
