Solar + battery backup for PSPS outages
In much of Northern California, Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) are a fact of life — PG&E cuts power for hours or days during hot, windy fire weather. Here’s how solar and a battery actually keep your home running when the grid goes dark, and what it takes.
Why solar panels alone go dark in an outage
It surprises most people: a grid-tied solar system shuts off during a blackout, even at noon on a sunny day. It’s a safety rule called anti-islanding — panels must stop back-feeding the lines so they can’t electrocute a utility worker repairing the outage. So if your only goal is riding out a PSPS event, panels by themselves won’t do it.
How a battery keeps your home running
A home battery with backup capability islands your house from the grid the instant power drops: it powers your loads and lets your panels keep charging it through the day. That solar-plus-storage loop is what lets a system run for days during an extended shutoff — the battery carries you overnight, the sun refills it each morning. Without solar, a battery alone simply drains until the grid returns.
How much battery do you need?
It depends on what you want to keep on. A single ~13 kWh battery comfortably backs up the essentials — refrigerator, lights, Wi-Fi, phone and medical device charging, a few outlets — often for a full day or more when solar is recharging it. Backing up air-conditioning or an electric range draws far more power and usually needs two or more batteries. A good installer sizes storage to a specific ‘backup loads’ list rather than the whole panel.
What backup costs, and the rebate to ask about
A home battery installed runs roughly $12,000–$16,000 before incentives, and the number scales with capacity. California’s SGIP program still offers meaningful battery rebates in its equity and resiliency tiers — for medical-baseline customers and homes in high fire-threat / PSPS areas — which covers many Northern California foothill and wine-country homeowners. The 30% federal residential credit for storage ended after 2025, so ask a local pro what actually applies to you today.
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Will my solar work during a PSPS shutoff?
Not on its own. Grid-tied solar shuts off in any outage for safety (anti-islanding). To keep power during a PSPS event you need a battery with backup capability, which islands your home and lets the panels recharge it each day.
How long will a home battery last during an outage?
For essential loads (fridge, lights, Wi-Fi, device charging), one ~13 kWh battery often lasts a day or more, and much longer when solar recharges it daily. Backing up air-conditioning or electric heat draws far more and usually needs multiple batteries.
Is there a rebate for a backup battery in California?
Yes. California's SGIP program offers battery rebates, with the largest amounts in the equity and resiliency tiers for medical-baseline customers and homes in high fire-threat or PSPS areas. Amounts and eligibility change, so confirm current SGIP status before you rely on it.
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See if solar is right for your Northern California home
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