Don't every battery system do these functions? 

Not to beat a dead horse, but the answer is the same NO.  Although it not that easy to tell by the marketing technics used currently?  The real question is WHY IS THAT?

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By now the answer is clear, not all systems do all of these things.  However, most “Sales” pitches make it hard to know which system is best for you, and what you are paying for.  Therefore, the cost of ownership is often misguided and badly judged.   In most cases, if it walks like a Duck, and quacks like a Duck, it most likely is not a Swan.  Meaning, if you are looking for a system to store extra power, and have management capabilities, but the rep only mentions the word Backup over and over again. Well, he may not know that he is selling you something that is not the same thing himself.  Often times, customers know what they want but not what that really costs.  So companies are good at training their reps to keep the pitch (and the customer) in a fine-lined box so they can control the outcome.  There are, however, companies that can build custom systems within the same budgets just by listening to the clients and educating them to the best choices within their financing range.  Of course, ITIS is one such company (HINT HINT).

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One main reason batteries systems are set up differently when it comes to renewable energy sources, is due to the way energy is stored and released from batteries in regards to the way energy is generated from the various sources of energy that we can choose from.  Energy doesn't want to just stay in one place that easily, it tends to seep out over time.  Knowing this, we can use that to our advantage for certain scenarios or be aware of it in others.  Therefore, we can't treat batteries with a 1-size fits all approach that floods the market place consistently.​  Knowing that discharging happens is a vital part of choosing if a battery solution if right for your situation at all. 

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What exactly is “Discharging”, and how does that affect my system?

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Depth of discharge (DoD) is a vital key component in determining batteries for any solar energy storage system as it is the term that describes the rate in which a battery empties in relationship to its full capacity in a percentage.  Simply put, if you have a battery bank of 100 kilowatt-hours (kWh), at 70% DoD that battery bank has 30kWh of charge left.

 

Now you may still ask why is this knowledge important, and does it answer if batteries are still just a HYPE?

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In all fairness, batteries are a great addition for anyone that wants to have them for their system.  The costs have come down enough for anyone to consider them for sure. Still, no matter what they will add more than a little to the overall cost of your system in most cases.  However, if you live in an area that is prone to power failures, or wildfires there is no real teacher like an actual emergency. Needing to have that power, and not having it has no real cost associated with it at that point.  If you need it, you need it. Being properly prepared and never needed it is what insurances and physical preparedness are all about. In that case, no this is not about HYPE at all. If you are doing this to save thousands immediately right now and you want to add a fully automated battery backup system, then this is not the best decision for you but you will LOVE it.  Either way, what do have to lose.  If you are looking for immediate savings on a budget, and you know that you are not staying in your home more than the next 5 years than a battery system is not the right decision for you.

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