As climate change intensifies, extreme weather events are becoming more frequent, often leading to widespread power outages. For example, Hurricane Helene, which struck in September 2024, caused severe power outages across Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina, leaving over 2 million people without electricity (POWER Magazine, 2024). Recent storms in Europe, such as the severe winds and rains in Lithuania in July 2024, left over 160,000 homes without power for extended periods. These outages disrupted essential services, particularly in rural areas dependent on electric pumps for water. This has spurred increased interest in energy storage systems, which provide critical backup power and enhance household resilience.

Addressing Power Outages: Backup Generators vs. Energy Storage Solutions

In response to the power outages caused by Hurricane Helene, the U.S. government took swift action to support recovery efforts. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provided substantial aid, including over 210 generators for storm-impacted regions (FEMA, 2024). Similarly, in light of recent power outages, Lithuania’s Energy Ministry has urged citizens to explore options for energy independence, such as backup generators and battery energy storage systems (BESS) (Alfa, 2024).

While both backup generators and battery storage can provide emergency power, they serve different needs. Traditional fuel-powered generators are typically used by households without access to solar power, or when solar setups are not feasible. However, generators have a key limitation: they can only generate power while running and do not store energy for future use. In contrast, battery storage systems are ideal for homes with solar panels. Solar power systems continue to generate some electricity even on cloudy days, and any surplus can be stored in batteries. This stored energy can then be used to maintain solar operations during grid outages.

Benefits of Solar and Battery Storage for Households

BESS has become an essential solution for households seeking increased resilience and sustainability. Below are some key benefits:

1. Environmental Impact: Solar battery systems reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Unlike traditional generators that emit carbon, solar-powered systems help cut down on greenhouse gases and contribute to a cleaner, more sustainable future. This aligns with global environmental goals and helps mitigate climate change.
2. Cost Efficiency: Solar batteries can store excess energy generated during the day, allowing homeowners to use this stored power during peak times when electricity is more expensive. Lithuania-based company SoliTek has developed the NOVA energy storage battery, which does more than just store energy. It acts as an intelligent energy management system, integrating with smart home technology to track real-time energy prices. This allows users to purchase electricity during low-rate periods, effectively lowering their energy bills.
3. Resilience During Power Outages: In the face of storms and extreme weather, battery storage enables households to maintain electricity even when the grid goes down. Solar battery systems do more than just provide emergency backup; they allow homeowners to store excess energy generated by solar panels during the day for use at night. This helps maximize the efficiency of solar power by ensuring homes have access to stored energy when the sun isn’t shining, reducing reliance on the grid and lowering energy costs (Chariot Energy, 2024). The aforementioned NOVA battery also supports three-phase devices in reserve mode—a rare feature among European batteries. This ensures that essential appliances, such as heat pumps, remain operational during power outages.
4. Customizable Solutions: Solar and battery systems are flexible and scalable, allowing homeowners to tailor the setup to their specific needs. For instance, a family of four can be supported by battery storage up to 40 kWh, ensuring they have sufficient power during winter or other challenging conditions.

These benefits, combined with incentives like tax credits and rebates, are driving more households toward adopting solar and battery storage systems for greater energy independence and cost savings.

The Future of BESS: Market Forecast

As the demand for renewable energy and energy storage systems continues to rise, the role of BESS is expected to grow substantially in the coming years. The U.S. battery storage market is expected to continue growing rapidly, with projections indicating a capacity of approximately 30 gigawatts (GW) by the end of 2025. This represents a significant increase from just 7.8 GW in 2022 (U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2024).

In Europe, the market has seen impressive growth, and this is expected to continue. In 2023, Europe installed 17.2 GWh of new battery storage, marking a 94% increase compared to the previous year, with Germany, Italy, and the UK being the leading countries. Moving forward, the BESS market in Europe is projected to maintain strong growth, reaching 260 GWh by 2028​ (SolarPower Europe, 2024). With innovations like those from SoliTek, the future of BESS looks promising, offering scalable, AI-powered, resilient, and cost-efficient solutions that can meet the energy challenges of tomorrow.