Can Solar Panels Continue to Supply Power during Power Failure?

Most solar panels will not work when there is a power failure. This is not because they can't convert solar energy into electricity when there is a power failure, but because of the operation of the solar panel system.

Most solar energy systems belong to grid-connected systems, which first transmit power to the power grid, and then uniformly allocate power to users by the power grid. In this way, if the power generated by solar panels cannot meet the needs of users, users of solar panels can still get power from the grid of utility companies; The surplus electric energy produced by solar energy can also be sold directly to utility companies.

Most solar energy systems are connected to the power grid through solar photovoltaic inverters. Solar PV inverters can track the energy generated and used by families. Most inverters are connected to the power grid, so during a power outage, the power grid will be shut down, and the solar panels will also stop generating electricity.

Part of the reason for this is to ensure the safety of maintenance workers, who need to ensure that when repairing wires, they will not touch the electricity of solar panels.

In addition, some solar energy systems are not affected by the power grid status and can continue to operate during power outages.

Off-grid system

The first kind of solar system belongs to the off-grid system, which does not need a solar inverter and will not be connected to the power grid. Off-grid systems are usually more expensive, in part because they cannot participate in preferential schemes offered to networked solar systems, such as power feedback schemes: selling solar energy back to utility companies to make up for additional power costs.

The off-grid system has a significant disadvantage: if the solar panel fails or cannot generate enough energy, the user has no backup plan. Unlike the online power grid system, which can obtain power from the public grid when needed, if the solar panels of the off-grid system cannot meet the power needs of users and do not generate enough power, users will fall into darkness and have no electricity to use.

Solar-cell system

Another kind of solar system can also continue to operate during a power failure, that is, the solar cell system. The solar cell system can store the power generated by the solar panel during the day and put it into use when needed. Solar panels generate a lot of energy when the sun is high at noon, but less at night. The storage function of solar cells can not only meet the power demand at the peak of power consumption but also continue to provide power during power failure.

It should be noted that this kind of solar cell system is relatively expensive, which is why many people will not use it. This system is more like a completely off-line system, and the high cost is prohibitive. And it can't benefit from pricing like online systems. But this kind of device has a safety guarantee, and it can also keep the power unobstructed when needed.

Solar panels help energy independence and get rid of dependence on fossil fuels (which are usually used for power generation in the grid). However, some solar panels cannot ensure power supply in case of power failure, which requires users to choose a suitable solar system, and choosing a system completely separated from the public grid will face a huge economic burden.