A homeowner trying to maximize their solar panel plan turned to Reddit after receiving conflicting information from installers.
In the r/solar subreddit, the poster explained they were looking at adding not only a solar panel system, but a whole-home backup battery system to ride out power outages at full capacity for days.
"I'm getting mixed messages about the feasibility of adding batteries to a solar system to achieve the backup power goal," they wrote. They said they've looked into Tesla's options and spoken with local installers, many of whom weren't supportive of their plans.
They admitted they're "a little confused about what my expectations should be" about running the home on solar backup versus opting for a gas-powered generator in an emergency, on top of just having solar panels.
One of the best things someone can do in that situation is go to EnergySage to talk to an Energy Advisor for free to get a clear sense of cost and benefit; the company provides a ton of free comparisons of solar and battery options like an Expedia.com for home energy, but it also has experts to chat with. In TCD's experience using EnergySage, the site does not try to talk you into anything or opt you into any emails or calls unless you say you want to pursue a specific plan and hear from contractors directly.
Still, Reddit can be a terrific resource as well to hear from real homeowners directly, and people in the comments generally agreed the idea was doable, but as the thread is from three years ago, many thought it was not financially advisable, at least not without knowing they would own the home for over a decade. Now, as batteries have become cheaper and better, the advice would probably be more slanted toward going ahead and doing it as long as a homeowner could afford the upfront investment.
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"Everything is possible. Everything is feasible. It's just whether you want to pay," a Redditor summed up.
Another person noted, "If you really want to do this, you're going to want to consider things like insulating your attic, replacing windows if they're not double-pane, etc." Their point was that these upgrades could help to further get the most for the investment, but truly, those moves are equally worthwhile with or without solar and batteries.
Those kinds of changes to your home will definitely increase your efficiency, no matter what kind of energy you're using, saving you money in the long run. Heating and cooling make up roughly 50% of electricity use in the average American home, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, and making weatherization upgrades can save you up to $283 annually on your bills, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Solar panels are also a money saver, reducing your bills by $100-250 monthly, totaling almost $3,000 annually.
Opting for cleaner energy options, even in an emergency with something like solar batteries, also helps reduce your impact on the environment.
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The cost 
The Inflation Reduction Act can also offer rebates and tax incentives for adding solar panels, something the homeowner may want to take into consideration when figuring out their panel and battery plan. The IRA may not be available forever, as President Donald Trump has said he plans to eliminate portions of it with his administration. Its fate will ultimately be decided by an act of Congress, so it's best to act sooner rather than later to get the best deals.
Beyond the Energy Advisors, EnergySage has free tools to help navigate the confusion of finding the most effective solar options for your home and the best installers, pricing, and IRA incentives breakdowns to maximize your savings.
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