In a blackout situation, the power from your solar panels goes nowhere - unless you have some way of storing the electricity (with a battery) or otherwise cutting your system off from the grid.
Why do grid-tie solar systems shut down during power outages?
A common misconception about grid-tie solar systems is that during a power outage or grid failure, the solar system will continue to provide power to loads.
What happens if a solar panel is connected to the grid?
Being connected to the grid means that the power supplied by the solar panels on your home flows back into the electrical grid. Power outages are usually due to a disruption somewhere between the electricity supplier and homeowners.
Can a solar power system temporarily disconnect itself from the grid?
Energy storage may help maintain a consistent power supply in the grid's absence, but in order to generate electricity in the first place during an outage, a solar power system must be capable of temporarily disconnecting itself from the grid.
Can a grid-tie Solar System be used during a power outage?
For those who want to have some critical power for things like freezers, lights, appliances or water pumps during an outage, changes can be made to the system to accommodate those loads. Conventionally, grid-tie solar systems are designed to push power into the grid and not into a battery bank.
Do you need grid power if your solar system goes down?
When your solar system produces excess energy, you're sending it out to your neighbors and getting credit for it (under net metering), but when the sun goes down, you still need grid power from the utility company. If you play this balancing act just right, you can have a power bill near $0.
How does a grid-tie Solar System work?
Conventionally, grid-tie solar systems are designed to push power into the grid and not into a battery bank. Without a battery bank, power from the sun is not able to be stored. To power critical loads a battery-based system would need to be integrated with the grid-tied system.