If you don’t want to participate in Net Metering or if you want battery back-up and the ability to keep making energy even when the grid goes down then a Smart Grid Hybrid solution from Pura Vida Energy Systems is the right choice for you. A hybrid system is still connected to the grid, but you only use energy from the utility company when you really need it. Smart-grid technology creates your own micro-grid on your property, with extra energy harvested during the daytime being stored in batteries until you need it. Each night you can use that stored energy until the batteries have reached the target depletion level and then access the utility grid for any additional energy needed. This architecture offers the best of both worlds, because having the grid available for emergency use means that you can achieve your needs with fewer batteries and preserve their functionality for much longer.
Batteries are expensive and they will not survive well in the environment of Costa Rica if you discharge them too deeply or too frequently. If you are considering a Hybrid or Off-grid solar energy system then be aware that cheaper systems will discharge your batteries too deeply each night and they will need to be replaced every few years. A well-designed Smart Grid Hybrid system from Pura Vida Energy Systems will offer the best compromise between energy independence and savings by using the perfect amount of energy from your battery bank before turning to the utility power. If you have access the the energy grid, then buying a little energy from the utility will be a lot cheaper than replacing your entire battery bank after just a few years.
Those same batteries that provide your smart-grid capability will also be available to provide battery backup during power failures from the grid. Most of the time during the daylight hours your batteries will be fully charged by your solar panels. We can also program your system to allow a deeper level of discharge from the batteries during an emergency power failure. If the grid were to ever experience catastrophic or permanent failure this system would allow you to maintain lighting and other basic comforts for extended periods of time, because the solar panels will be able to recharge the batteries even without power from the grid.
A well-designed Smart Grid Solar Hybrid system from Pura Vida Energy Systems is the best investment available for those people who are connected to the grid but do not wish to pay the high fees associated with Net Metering programs offered by ICE and other cooperative utility providers. They will take longer to pay for themselves than our Net Metered Micro-inverter systems, but they do come with the added benefits of battery backup and energy independence during power outages and grid failures.
We use SimpliPHI Lithium Fero Phosphate Batteries for our backup and Micro-grid systems. These batteries are guaranteed for 10 years or 10,000 cycles! They have no toxic chemicals, do not catch on fire, require no cooling or ventilation and are stable and durable in environments up to 40 degrees Celsius! These are the best and safest batteries that money can buy. BETTER THAN LG CHEM OR EVEN TESLA POWERWALL.