Off-grid vs grid-tied solar energy system: which is right for you?

When you are looking at getting a solar energy system installed, there are many considerations. The first step is to think about which system will work best for your home's needs. A solar expert will look at your power bill and your energy use, to suggest a system size that will best suit your needs. This includes deciding between a grid-tied, or an off-grid system. Here are some key points to take into account when deciding what works best for you.

Grid-tied solar energy system

This is the most popular way of powering your home with solar, as it allows you to continue to power your home without any interruptions, and it costs you less. We reckon that's a real win-win.

A grid-tied system allows you to make the most of the sunshine hours. When the sun is generating most of its energy, during summer or the middle of the day, your home will use the energy to power anything that needs to be powered, for example your fridge, washing machine and any other appliances that are drawing power. After the energy has been used in your home, any excess solar energy will be exported to the grid. This exported energy will appear as a credit on your monthly power bill which lowers your costs. In winter, or during lower sunshine hours like nighttime, being grid-tied means that you can draw energy from the grid without needing to think about where this energy is coming from. We offer exclusive solar plans so you can make the most of your solar energy system.

By choosing a grid-tied system you have the ability to upgrade the system over time. Most homeowners start by installing solar panels, and over time will add a battery to the system. A grid-tied system allows this flexibility as you are still able to get any additional power when and as you need it from the grid.

Off-grid solar energy system

An off-grid solar energy system is not connected to the grid. It relies solely on energy being generated from your roof, or energy stored in your batteries to power your home. By not having any other way to generate energy, you need to be much more aware of the total amount of energy that your home might need, to avoid having no power, requiring quite a big shift in your lifestyle. This could happen if the batteries are empty, or if it's a low sunshine period.

Installing an off-grid solar energy system is often much more expensive than a grid-tied system. This is because without the option to get additional energy from the grid, you need to make the most of your roof to generate as much solar energy as possible. Likewise, where a grid-tied home might install a single battery, an off-grid home requires multiple batteries to store back-up energy to use for later. A single solar battery usually ranges between $6,000-$20,000.

For most homes, getting a grid-tied system makes the most sense. You’ll enjoy the benefits that solar brings - including a lower power bill, and powering your home with renewable energy, without needing to totally change how your home uses energy. Talk to one of our solar installation partners about a solar energy system for your home by visiting this page here.