Reliable Solar + Storage for a Wilbraham Home
Project Overview
With a mix of roof materials and a full-home backup goal, Valley Solar engineered a seamless solar + storage system designed for reliability, resilience, and everyday savings.
The final design pairs REC high-efficiency solar panels with two Tesla Powerwall 2 batteries, providing 10.1 kW of solar capacity and 27 kWh of backup storage. Together, the system generates about 7,510 kWh per year, covering much of the home’s annual usage and offering peace of mind during outages.
Homeowner's Goals
The homeowner’s priorities centered on long-term sustainability, backup power, and integrating their existing Tesla equipment into a professionally managed system.
Replace aging roof
Both shingle and rolled-asphalt sections needed full replacement before solar could be installed.
Whole-home backup
Achieve continuous power for essential and high-draw loads during grid outages.
Integrate EV charging
Add a Tesla J1772/NACS charger with dynamic power management for efficient home energy use.
Reuse existing equipment
Incorporate two customer-supplied Tesla Powerwall 2 units originally installed in Texas.
Valley Solar Solution
Valley Solar designed a hybrid solar-plus-storage system customized for this home’s structure, electrical layout, and energy goals.
Problems Faced
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Mixed roofing materials and poor condition required careful coordination with roofing contractors and different stanchion types (IronRidge FlashVue and RT-Mini 2).
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Limited basement ceiling height (76″) meant designing a custom battery closet with a special door configuration.
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Legacy Tesla Powerwalls had to be re-commissioned and untied from their previous site records.
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Complex conduit routing for the EV charger and battery wiring had to work around future basement finishing plans.
Solutions
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Roof Integration — New roofs installed before solar ensured full warranty coverage and long-term performance.
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Tesla Powerwall 2 Integration — Configured for whole-home backup with a Tesla Backup Gateway 2.
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Custom Electrical Layout — Conduit runs planned to maintain aesthetics and future accessibility, keeping equipment near the main service panel.
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EV Charger Install — Customer-supplied Tesla Wall Connector added on the preferred side of the garage with dynamic load management.
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Home Safety Upgrades — Hard-wired smoke, combo, and heat detectors installed to meet code for energy storage systems.
System Size
10.1 kW DC
Storage Capacity
27 kWh
Est. Annual Production
7,510 kWh
Impact
This Wilbraham homeowner now enjoys reliable backup power, lower utility bills, and the confidence that comes with a future-ready home energy system.
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Energy Independence — 27 kWh of storage provides full-home backup capability.
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Savings — At an average of $0.32 per kWh, the system offsets about $2,400 in annual electric costs.
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Sustainability — Offsets roughly 3.1 metric tons of CO₂ each year, equivalent to driving over 7,500 miles less in a gas car.
Est. Yearly Savings
$2,553 ($0.34/kWh)
COâ‚‚ Offset
3.1 metric tons / year
Don't Take Our Word For It — Here's What The Owner Had To Say.
We contacted Valley Solar late in 2023 in anticipation of our move from TX to MA. The request was more complex: install and connect solar panels to our newly purchased property in MA, install and connect our Tesla Powerwall we will bring from TX, and connect our car charger to the infrastructure in this 1962 cape. Long story short, it was a fantastic experience. Valley Solar “held our hand” throughout the process. Every permit and every piece of paper was provided upfront, reviewed, and then filed on our behalf. The team kept in touch with us to ensure everything was on track from beginning to end. The crew that came for the installation was particularly friendly, professional, and efficient. If you want a top-notch experience installing a solar system, look no further. These guys have it down pat. Highly recommend.
