by B.S.V., Survival Blog:
(Continued from Part 3. This concludes the article.)
Question: Will I have power when the grid is down?
Question: Can I get net metering with a solar-only system, or do I need storage?
Battery size
With all the information above, you will be better situated to properly size your storage system. Just be aware that (unless you’re in a totally different socioeconomic class than I) you probably won’t get all the storage you want. I started off with the idea that I wanted to be three-days independent of the grid. When I found the cost of that, I scaled back. I couldn’t do it within my financial constraints. So I had to determine if it still made sense to go solar, or if another solution would be better for me. A whole-home generator would have allowed me to have the backup capability for less overall cost of equipment and installation. However, I would then have had the cost of that system as well as my usual electric bill, plus the upkeep, maintenance and associated fuel costs. For me, solar still made the most sense. However, it is important to step back from the excitement of ‘doing something’ to check whether your ‘doing the right thing’.