Fiona outages fuel interest in solar-battery backup systems

Recent power outages from post-tropical storm Fiona are fuelling interest in battery backup systems for solar-powered homes.

The Switch Charlottetown program has just funded its first solar-battery combined project.

"The Switch program will finance up to $40,000 or 15 per cent of the assessed value of the home," said Julian Boyle, president of PACE Atlantic, the Halifax-based company that administers the program. 

"So $40,000 would almost get you a battery and solar system combined. It depends on the size of the battery, and the size of the solar system." 

Boyle said more than half of solar homeowners are now expressing interest in getting backup batteries versus a generator. His company has about 350 projects underway in Charlottetown.

I think Fiona is a big wake-up call ​​​​ with climate change now real and present.— Julian Boyle, PACE Atlantic

"I think Fiona is a big wake-up call with climate change now real and present, and the cost of electricity going up," Boyle said.

"It's obvious solar, the uptake of solar is really increasing a lot. And now when you're generating your own power, it really gives you some options to think about."

Backup power

Hank and Teresa Spierenburg have a long-time interest in home energy efficiency, having installed a geothermal heat pump system when they built their Charlottetown home in 2004. 

"It's partly the environment. Of course, that's always important," Hank Spierenburg said.

"Partly it's cost because energy prices are going, and also the fact that after Fiona, we realized we need some type of backup power to go while the power is out."

The Spierenburgs opted for two batteries at $1,500 each — not enough for all of their electrical needs, but the key ones.

"It's about 11 kilowatts for the total system," Spierenburg said.

"Hopefully during a power outage that would last as at least a couple of days, to get some critical areas like the kitchen, the sump pump and all that operational."

"We've considered generators but I think this is the clear option," Spierenburg said.

"They are quite noisy, and they take a lot of fuel, and so noise and and fumes, we decided that was not the the way for us to go if we had a choice."

For Teresa Spierenburg, being without power for 10 days after Fiona was challenging, but she has other motivations as well. 

"Electricity is is quite expensive, oil is is very much expensive, and we thought that it helps for the environment, and it saves us money too," Teresa Spierenburg said. 

"I'm Dutch, so Dutch, we are very frugal."

CBC has since learned the installation has been put on hold, because of P.E.I. regulations.