Keep things running: Solar energy in a blackout

New solar energy system owners are sometimes surprised or upset to learn that their solar panels won’t automatically keep their home or business powered during a power outage or blackout. This is because, even though solar panels gather their energy from the sun, they’re still connected to the local power grid, meaning that they usually are unable to function when the grid itself has been shut down for repairs or as a result of damage or natural disaster. This can be especially trying in areas which experience frequent dangerous storms, including tropical storms or hurricanes, or in areas where construction is just a fact of life.

Fortunately, there are ways to make sure that your home or business’s critical systems continue running even in these difficult situations. 

 

What’s the SunRun Brightbox?

SunRun Brightbox is one such solution to the problem of blackouts. With SunRun Brightbox, as with other battery backup systems, you’ll be able to provide your home with a backup source of energy for when these emergencies or power outages hit. 

These battery backups work by storing excess energy from solar panel systems. While solar panel systems are running, they often generate more energy than is needed for the moment. Without a battery backup system, that excess energy might be sold back to the power grid. With a backup system installed, however, your home or business will be able to produce and save excess energy on its own, storing it in the battery so that you can draw on it later when it’s needed. This is most commonly done during emergency power outages or blackouts, since battery backups can power your home’s lights, appliances, and even AC and heating, if you have enough energy stored–all without needing the power grid to be running. 

In addition to the benefits offered during power outages, solar storage systems like Brightbox also can be set up to help you rely on stored power during “peak usage” times. If you haven’t heard of those, here’s how it normally works: power companies know that lots of people want to use electricity at the same time during certain times of day and (especially) night, and so they sometimes raise the prices on power specifically during those times. This is especially common in areas such as California and Arizona. If you have a backup system like Brightbox, however, you’ll be able to make sure that your home is running on stored energy during those “peak” times, instead of drawing on additional energy that would cost more. This can help you see even more savings from your solar system over time, and is especially useful because it can be set to work during the night, when the solar system would obviously no longer be generating power as it was needed. Instead, you can rely on the power generated during the day to get you through the peak usage times more cheaply. 

 

How much does the SunRun Brightbox cost?

SunRun sells Brightbox to new solar customers as an add-on; you can choose from one of two types of lithium ion batteries, depending on your home or business’s needs and how much you’re willing to pay. The fancier option, for whole-home power backup, is the Tesla Powerwall, while the LG Chem battery works as a less expensive option which will let you run just the essentials. 

Differently-sized buildings with different energy needs may need different types or numbers of battery backups, and the pricing will obviously change if you need more batteries, or opt for the more expensive batteries. 

The pricing for Brightbox varies between states, because different states have different deals and leasing arrangements which affect the pricing. Right now, adding Brightbox to your solar system installation costs anywhere from around $1000 (in Massachusets) to just under $9000. Additionally, you’ll want to note that SunRun is currently only offering Brightbox to new SunRun customers, so if you’ve already done business with them, this offer will not be available to you at the moment.

 

Where can you get Brightbox?

Basically, thanks to an expansion of the Brightbox service, anywhere that you can get SunRun Solar systems, you can get Brightbox. SunRun Brightbox is available in 20 U.S. States and territories:

  • Arizona
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Connecticut
  • Florida
  • Hawaii
  • Maryland
  • Massachusets
  • Nevada
  • New Hampshire
  • New Jersey
  • New Mexico
  • New York
  • Pennsylvania
  • Puerto Rico
  • Rhode Island
  • South Carolina   
  • Texas 
  • Vermont
  • Washington, D.C.

 

What do customers say about Brightbox?

Few reviewers talk specifically about Brightbox, but there are many online reviews discussing SunRun itself. These reviews are generally positive, but there have been some issues with getting everything up and running after installation.

However, most reviews speak positively of the systems and the hardware used by SunRun, as well as the installation process, and there are few who had any problems with the Brightbox batteries specifically.

 

What’s the Brightbox’s lifespan?

(Including warranty, estimated time until repairs and/or replacement, etc.)

Brightbox also comes with a 25-year warranty from SunRun, and is included in their monitoring and maintenance deals for financing options. This means that they will monitor the system for you, including Brightbox, and send out technicians to repair it if anything goes wrong. While there’s no estimate on how long it will take technicians to get to you, the monitoring service runs 24/7, so you can likely expect good response times barring any unusual circumstances.

 

Who benefits most from the SunRun Brightbox?

Although it’s likely that all solar system owners will see benefits from using SunRun Brightbox or similar backup systems, there are some groups of people who will especially be helped.

The first group is people who live in places where emergency blackouts (or scheduled blackouts) are common. SunRun lists California as one area where blackouts have become a particularly bad problem in recent years; other areas along the coast, especially those prone to large tropical storms or hurricanes, will also likely see great benefits from having a backup power source that’s not connected to the main power grid. 

While there are emergency generators that can power one or two appliances each in an emergency, the additional benefit of backups like Brightbox is that they’re connected to a building’s power directly. Emergency generators usually just act as a portable power source with plugs for important appliances. These can help you keep a fridge or freezer running, but not a whole lot else, since they’re usually not connected directly to the building’s power. If you need to make sure that the lights or climate control in your home or business stay working, a battery backup system like Brightbox is what you’re after.

One other group who will likely see major potential benefits from Brightbox is business owners, especially ones who might otherwise lose products or money to power outages. If you have a freezer or cooler that needs to keep running in order to keep food fresh, for example, a battery backup system can save you a lot of stress once the power stops working! The same goes for any other critical systems that need to keep running during emergencies.

So if you’re a part of any of those groups, or if you’re just interested in finding a battery backup for your power, SunRun’s Brightbox might be a good option for you to consider!