Path-Q Solar
What outage risks should a small business assess before relying on solar batteries?
Answer
Assess which operations must continue, how long they must operate, the power and starting demands of those loads, and how the battery will recharge during a prolonged outage. The business should also plan for communications, security, refrigeration or process loads, staff procedures, maintenance, and a fallback if battery energy or equipment fails.
Key points
- Rank life-safety, security, communications, data, refrigeration, process, and revenue-critical loads.
- Model peak demand, motor starting, operating hours, and acceptable service reduction.
- Confirm whether the system can island safely, recharge, shed loads, and restart after a fault.
What it depends on
- Business continuity requirements and outage duration
- Critical-load energy and power profile
- Battery, inverter, solar, generator, and control capabilities
Risks and trade-offs
- A battery sized for household-style loads may not support commercial motors or continuous processes.
- An outage can create losses from spoiled goods, interrupted communications, data issues, or unsafe conditions.
- Battery-only operation may be inadequate during prolonged cloudy weather or repeated outages.
Information you may need
- Critical equipment inventory and operating schedule
- Load measurements and starting-power data
- Business continuity, emergency, insurance, and service requirements
Your next step
What to do next
Have a qualified designer produce a critical-load and multi-day outage plan, including load shedding, recharge, manual procedures, and a backup alternative.
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