How Home Battery Backups Keep You Powered in a Outage

Quick Summary

Why this matters

Most people assume solar panels alone will keep the lights on in an outage — but they don’t. Grid-tied solar shuts down automatically when the utility grid goes down to protect utility workers.

Battery storage changes everything. Modern battery systems are designed to keep your whole home running seamlessly during outages. No noisy generators, no fuel deliveries, no fumes — just instant, reliable backup power when you need it.

In New England, where ice storms, high winds, and blizzards can leave neighborhoods dark for hours, a home battery isn’t just about convenience — it’s about comfort, security, and resilience.

What to Know Before You Start

• Whole-home backup is possible — modern batteries are designed to support a full household backup in a typical home, not just a few “critical loads.”
• Runtime depends on your usage — most homes can run comfortably through an outage when sized properly. Heavy loads like EV charging or electric heat will reduce runtime.
• Batteries don’t need to run forever, just long enough – Batteries should be sized to comfortably last through the night with the expectation that solar energy will refill them the next day.  A system that can do this will provide energy indefinitely. 
• Know your heating fuel – If you heat exclusively with electricity, even efficient heat pump systems, you will need to size your battery accordingly or consider a generator integration. 
• Batteries charge automatically — they recharge from solar when the sun is shining, or from the grid if needed. The larger the solar system, the faster the batteries will recharge.
• Incentives reduce cost — Massachusetts programs like Connected Solutions and Clean Peaks pay homeowners who share stored energy during peak demand times.
• Cold climate design matters — Valley Solar installs systems optimized for outdoor performance, even in harsh New England winters.

How it Works

1. Outage Detection — The system senses loss of grid power in milliseconds. 
2. Automatic Transition — Your home instantly switches to battery power, also called islanding mode, without interruption. 
3. Seamless Operation — Appliances, lights, and devices continue running as if nothing happened. 
4. Load shedding (optional) – It is common to have the system or the homeowner “shed” certain loads in back up, like a hot tub or electric clothes dryer. 
5. Recharging — During daylight, solar recharges the battery; at night, the system manages stored energy intelligently. 
6. Return to Normal — When grid power returns, the system reconnects automatically. 

Step-by-Step: Staying Powered in an Outage

1. Review Your Outage History
   How often, and how long, has your power gone out? What are your expectations and plans around future power outages?
2. Choose Whole-Home or Partial-Home Backup
   Work with Valley Solar to size a system that fits your needs.
3. Factor in Incentives
   Massachusetts incentives can make batteries more affordable.
4. Select Your System
   Pair with solar for simple efficiency, or integrate a generator for maximum security.
5. Monitor & Control
   Use your app to monitor and control battery charging, solar production and electricity consumption. You can adjust minimum charge levels, set to “self-supply,” “storm guard,” or “off grid” modes. Some setups allow control of individual circuits like EV charging.

Helpful Tips & Watchouts

• Avoid undersizing — a properly-sized battery is key to whole-home reliability. Incentives scale with battery size.
• Plan around big loads — EVs and electric heating may need special consideration.
• Be wary of exaggerated claims — Speak to an experienced contractor who can talk to you about capabilities and limitations of a battery system.  Valley Solar has installed more residential battery systems than any other MA contractor (Ohm Analytics, 2025).
• Check service capability — Battery systems add service complexity.  Make sure your installer has a dedicated service team.

Key Takeaways

• Solar alone doesn’t provide backup power — batteries do.
• Modern systems can back up your whole home, not just a sub-panel.
• Batteries recharge automatically from solar or the grid.
• Incentives in Massachusetts make storage more affordable.
• Choosing the right installer ensures your system performs reliably when you need it most.