Battery Backup – Perth Power Outages

Q: Why did the duck cause a blackout?

A:   If you are expecting a punch-line, unfortunately there is not one. In fact, for many Aussies this Summer, these power-outages are no joke. Especially when they occur on sweltering hot 40-degree days on the Western Power network. With no fans or air-conditioning to cool things down, a Summer blackout can not only be uncomfortable, but potentially dangerous.

Duck Curve

The duck we are referring to is the graphical representation of electricity demand from the grid on days when solar power production is high. When plotted on a graph, hour by hour, the line forms a duck-like shape.

Essentially, this notorious “Duck Curve” shows the extreme changes in power supply and grid demand throughout the day caused by the rapid uptake of solar power on the western power network over recent years.

• As the sun rises, a noticeable dip in grid power demand can be seen. Smart homes & businesses with solar panels are generating their own electricity and require little power supply, if any, power from the grid. In fact, many solar owners generate excess solar power and export it to the grid, further reducing the need for dirty-coal-power to be generated.

• However, as the sun sets and solar power production drops off, the line takes a steep curve upwards as reliance on grid power returns. This can be a big headache for electricity grid operators.

On hot Summer afternoons, when everyone is cranking the air-conditioner, this sudden upward curve is even more significant. At these times, thanks to aging infrastructure and the inability of coal-fired generators to ramp-up quickly, the grid can become unstable and wide-spread power-outages can occur.

How to Keep Your Cool during the next Summer power-outage?

Battery Solutions Perth

Stay cool. Positive Energy has the solution.

The best way to protect your home from a black-out is to combine solar power with battery storage. Not only can a battery provide backup power during a power-outage, but it will also deliver ongoing electricity bill savings by powering your home at night.

If you do not already have a system, we recommend a quality battery-ready ‘hybrid’ inverter combined with a modular / scalable battery for future expandability.

Positive Energy offers a curated range of premium battery systems sized to each home, including SigEnergy, Tesla Powerwall 3, BYD, Fronius, Sungrow and iStore.

Alternatively, if you already have solar panels, Positive Energy can easily retrofit an ‘AC-Coupled’ battery to store excess solar power from your existing system, matched to your home from our current range.

For advice on the right Solar & Battery package for your home, Request Your Quote.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Duck Curve and why does it cause power outages in Perth?

The Duck Curve is a graph showing how electricity demand from the grid changes throughout the day when solar power production is high. As the sun rises, fewer people need power from the grid because solar owners generate their own electricity. However, when the sun sets and solar production drops off, demand for grid power suddenly spikes upward. On hot Summer afternoons when air-conditioners are running, this sudden spike can make the grid unstable and cause wide-spread power outages, especially because aging infrastructure and coal-fired generators cannot ramp up quickly enough.

How can battery storage protect my home during a Perth power outage?

A battery provides backup power during a power outage so your home stays powered when the grid goes down. Positive Energy Solutions offers premium battery systems including SigEnergy, Tesla Powerwall 3, BYD, Fronius, Sungrow and iStore that are sized to match each home. The best approach is to combine solar power with battery storage for complete protection.

I already have solar panels. Can I add battery backup to my existing system?

Yes. Positive Energy Solutions can easily retrofit an AC-Coupled battery to your existing solar system to store excess solar power your panels generate. This battery will be matched to your home from their current range of premium systems.

Will a battery backup system save me money on my electricity bills?

Yes. A battery will deliver ongoing electricity bill savings by powering your home at night, so you use less power from the grid when electricity costs are higher.