Power outages happen without warning, so it’s important to have a plan in place that can provide backup power when the grid goes down. As a business that supports the development of renewable energy projects, the decision to install a commercial energy storage system at our office headquarters was a no-brainer.
Why Did altE Install a Commercial Energy Storage System?
Though many altE employees have backup power systems at home, the company’s Boxborough, MA headquarters did not have battery backup. After several recent (planned) utility power outages, we began to feel what many people who live in places with limited grid reliability are all too familiar with: a nagging concern about the next outage – whether planned or unplanned. With this in mind, altE Senior Technical Support Representative Louis Stamatelos and Technical Services Operations Manager John LaFlamme installed a battery backup system at the office headquarters to provide backup power to the server that runs much of the software that altE’s daily operations depend on.
Our system consists of a Schneider XW Pro Inverter/Charger and two KiloVault HAB 7.5kW Lithium Batteries on a wheeled KiloVault HAB Dual Cart. We chose HAB batteries for the system because they provide a long 4000-6000 cycle life, have no memory effect, and have very low self-discharge rates. Plus, these batteries are maintenance-free and have plenty of storage capacity to handle all of altE’s needs. The pairing of HABs and an XW Pro is certified to the stringent performance and safety certification known as UL 9540 and allows for closed-loop communication: two-way communication between the inverter and batteries that keeps the system self-sufficient by sharing important status information between the components so they can self-adjust.
Now when the power goes out, we can keep operating – and keep helping home and business owners like you get set up with similar energy security solutions. In fact, our exact setup and other UL 9540-certified energy storage systems are available to order on our website.
What are the Benefits of Having a Battery Backup System?
For businesses connected to the electrical grid, a backup power system for an office provides continued electricity in the event of a grid outage. It also provides peace of mind in the event of natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, ice storms, blizzards, and severe thunderstorms, as these events put the electrical grid’s infrastructure at its most vulnerable. Battery backup for a business is an investment that pays for itself over time by preventing company downtime and keeping employees safe and comfortable when dangerous weather moves in.
What are altE’s Future Plans for Their Commercial Energy Storage System?
Our plans are to keep doing what we’ve always done: make renewable do-able for home and business owners looking for clean energy solutions – with or without battery backup. Now that we have backup power like we’ve never had before, we’re able to literally weather the storm and keep our phones and online store up and running even if the surrounding businesses in Boxborough lose power.
In 2023, we’ll be installing a solar array on our roof and then programming our XW Pro inverter to prioritize self-consumption – using our own solar power to run our loads and keep our 15kWh battery backup system charged. This will allow us to lower our electricity costs, reduce our carbon footprint, and further enhance our resilience during future grid power outages. With our internal loads and battery charging prioritized, any excess power generated by our solar array while the grid is up will be fed into it, allowing nearby homes and businesses to automatically use the clean power we produced in their own operations through their own connection to the grid.
Interested in Battery Backup for Your Home or Business?
Fill out our free online battery backup power system request form and one of our energy storage experts will contact you shortly!
