Energy Storage System (ESS) is a means of storing your energy. One method to store energy is to use battery packs. These battery packs can be used to power your home during a power outage or at night. Electricity generated from your solar panels or the grid can “charge” your pack to full capacity, and then can be used at any time depending on your needs.

Think of an ESS more as a backup generator. In BC we have “net metering”, which allows you to “store” your energy created from your solar panels in the BC Hydro grid. Essentially the excess energy you make with your solar panels goes back to BC power grid, the amount is recorded and is credited to your account. So at night when your solar panels are not creating energy, you will use energy from the grid. But since you created excess power in the day, you will tap into your credits rather than paying for the electricity. Think of BC Hydro as your battery storage pack, they will store your excess energy and give it back when you need it!

It depends on how much energy storage you require. Would you like to power your home for 24 hours without grid-tied electricity or for 3 days? How much energy does your home consume? Other factors do play a role, but as a ballpark expect a Battery ESS to cost around $13-18k.