What are time-of-use rates? Your guide to TOU
Explore how time-of-use (TOU) rates impact electricity costs, peak and off-peak hours, and energy usage — and see how solar and battery storage can help you save.
Having a home energy management system with battery storage can be game-changing, turning TOU pricing to your advantage. By storing cheap off-peak electricity or excess solar energy, battery storage allows you to power your home during costly peak periods without the grid, avoiding steep charges and saving significantly on your electricity bills.
Solar systems give maximum power during the afternoons and mid-days. Since TOU rates are higher in the evenings, you can store solar electricity and use it later if you have battery storage or net metering. Fill up your batteries with solar power or grid power during off-peak hours. Then use the stored energy during peak or super-peak rates.
For solar customers in areas with time of use rates, understanding these rates is particularly important because they affect solar savings. Time of use rates, like the prices of movie tickets, vary based on the time when electricity is used. Modeling software can help contractors provide accurate savings estimates for customers.
By storing cheap off-peak electricity or excess solar energy, battery storage allows you to power your home during costly peak periods without the grid, avoiding steep charges and saving significantly on your electricity bills. This article will dive deep into TOU tariffs and how to implement a TOU strategy with a home energy management system.
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