Battery storage vs. buyback: what makes sense in Austin?

Once your panels make more power than you use, you have two options: send it to the grid for a credit, or store it in a home battery for later. Both can make sense — it depends on your utility plan and your priorities.

When buyback wins

If your utility offers a generous credit for exported solar, the grid behaves like a free battery. Payback on panels alone is usually fastest in this scenario.

When a battery wins

Batteries shine when export credits are low, when time-of-use rates make evening power expensive, or when backup power during outages matters to you. They also let you keep the lights, fridge and Wi-Fi running when the grid goes down.

Our advice: start with your goals. If resilience is a priority, a battery is worth it. If pure savings is the goal, we’ll run the numbers both ways.