The program will be available for up to 4,500 SRP residential electric customers on a first-come, first-served basis during a 36-month period, beginning May 1, 2018.
“The battery storage program will give us an opportunity to collect data and study how battery storage impacts customer energy use and the SRP grid,” said Scott Scharli, SRP’s manager of residential and commercial solar.
A battery storage system integrates into a home’s electrical system and allows for the storage and use of electrical energy, measured in kilowatt hours. The stored energy can come from Distributed Energy Resources such as solar panels or energy from the grid and can be used later.
“With the right application, batteries can help smooth demand spikes, reduce the burden on the grid and lower a customer’s demand costs. Other systems can be configured to provide backup power during an outage. For example, to supply a separate electrical panel that only serves important devices such as air conditioning units, refrigerators or medical equipment,” Scharli said.
According to Scharli, effective battery systems allow unused solar energy generated during the day to be stored for use throughout the evening and night and could enable homeowners to consume more of their rooftop solar system’s generation.
