Home / Services / Solar with backup
A hybrid system reduces the electricity bill in the same way as a standard rooftop system, and keeps essential loads running from a battery during a power cut. Because the battery is the most expensive component, we size it from the actual frequency of outages and the loads that must remain on. Many customers require less storage than they expect.
A dedicated backup circuit is wired for essential loads, and the battery is sized for them. In most homes and shops these are:
Air conditioners, geysers and water pumps are normally excluded from the backup circuit, because they discharge the battery quickly and require a substantially larger battery bank. Where one air conditioner is required on backup, we quote both configurations.
During an extended daytime outage, the panels continue to supply the backup circuit and recharge the battery.
Battery storage adds significantly to the cost, so we recommend it only where backup is a real requirement.
Makes sense if supply in your area is fairly steady and your main goal is a lower bill.
Suitable where power cuts are frequent, or where critical loads must stay on: a clinic refrigerator, CCTV or a home office.
Most houses in the region already have one. Where the existing inverter copes adequately with power cuts, a hybrid system may not be necessary. An on-grid solar system can operate alongside it: the solar system reduces the bill, and the existing inverter continues to provide backup. This is the most economical option, and we recommend it where it is suitable.
A hybrid system is appropriate where the existing arrangement is no longer adequate: outages have become longer, the battery is due for replacement, or critical loads such as a clinic refrigerator, CCTV or a home office have been added.
A phased approach is also available. A hybrid inverter can be installed at the outset and the battery added later.
| Lithium | Tubular (lead-acid) | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Higher | Lower |
| Typical life | Often 10 years or more | Usually 4 to 6 years |
| Maintenance | None | Distilled water top-up every few months |
| Space | Compact, often wall-mounted | Bulky, sits on the floor, needs ventilation |
| Suits | Daily use and frequent cuts | Occasional cuts and a tighter budget |
Backup duration depends on the connected load. As a guide, a 5 kWh lithium battery supports about 500 watts of lighting, fans, refrigeration and Wi-Fi for around eight hours.
The proposal presents both options with the brand, warranty and expected life of each, so that cost can be compared over ten years as well as at purchase.
Get a price for solar with backupYes, although it increases the size of the system. A 1.5 ton air conditioner draws more than the lighting, fans and refrigerator combined, so both the battery and the inverter must be larger. For most homes it is better value to exclude air conditioners from backup. Where one is required, we quote with and without it.
Both. The system is normally configured to charge from the panels first and to draw from the grid only when solar generation is insufficient.
Yes, if a hybrid inverter is fitted from the start. A standard on-grid inverter cannot accept a battery directly, so future backup requirements should be raised at the design stage.
The subsidy is for the solar part of a grid-connected home system. It doesn't pay for the battery. Eligibility of a hybrid configuration depends on the scheme's current rules, which we confirm for each case. See how the subsidy works.
In Mohali, Zirakpur, Kharar and New Chandigarh, and in Chandigarh and Panchkula, for homes, clinics, shops and offices.
Send a photograph of your electricity bill on WhatsApp. We will respond with an indicative system size and advise whether battery backup is justified for your property.
