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Northbeam Solar Fort Collins · est. 2015

Service 02 of 04

Battery storage

A home battery keeps the circuits you choose running when the grid goes down. Around here it rarely improves the math, so we quote it honestly: backup power you're paying for, sized to what you actually need on.

Wall-mounted home battery unit installed in a clean garage beside a yellow safety post

At a glance

Battery storage at a glance

Typical size
10 to 15 kWh usable (1 or 2 units)
Time on site
About 1 day
Backs up
The circuits you choose
Estimated cost
Often $10,000 to $16,000 per unit

Costs and times are typical ranges for a fictional demo company, shown as estimates before any incentive programs. Your fixed quote replaces them after we check your home.

What's included

Everything in the price, listed

  • Load review: which circuits must stay on in an outage
  • Battery, gateway or transfer switch, and a backup sub-panel if needed
  • Permits and utility paperwork
  • App setup: see the charge level and set how much to keep for outages
  • A test outage: we switch off the main and show you what stays on

Is it right for you?

When it makes sense, and when we'd tell you to skip it

Good fit if

  • Your road loses power a few times a year
  • Someone at home relies on powered medical equipment or a well pump
  • You work from home and outages cost you money

Probably skip it if

  • You mainly want to save money: net metering already banks your extra solar for free
  • You want the whole house, AC included, running for days. That takes several units or a generator.

Honestly: A battery is usually an insurance purchase, not an investment. With net metering, the grid already stores your extra solar as credits, so a battery rarely shortens payback here. We'll say that in your quote, in writing. Backup hours are estimates too: they depend on what you run and the weather.

How it goes

5 steps, no surprises

  1. 01

    Load review

    We list what must stay on: fridge, furnace fan, lights, Wi-Fi, well pump.

  2. 02

    Size and fixed quote

    Units, parts and estimated backup hours for your chosen circuits, in writing.

  3. 03

    Permits and utility

    Storage needs its own permit and utility notice. We handle both.

  4. 04

    Install day

    About one day, mostly in the garage, with a short planned power-off.

  5. 05

    Test outage

    We cut the grid on purpose so you see exactly what keeps running.

Warranty, in plain words

Who covers what, and for how long

Full warranty details →

A neighbor's experience

What it looked like for a neighbor

Mountain install, no holes in the roof

Standing-seam roof, clamp mounts, battery-ready wiring for our outage-prone road. They were upfront that mountain shade would cost us about 15% compared with town, and sized for it. Production has matched the estimate through a snowy spring.

Elaine B., Red Feather Lakes · May 2025
Modern house with a standing-seam metal roof and solar panels surrounded by snow

Red Feather Lakes, CO · 2023

Standing-seam mountain cabin

System6 kW · 14 panels
Estimated yr 17,700 kWh
Produced yr 17,480 kWh
All installs →

Questions about battery storage

Straight answers

All FAQs →
How long will a battery run my house?

It depends on what's running. One typical 13 kWh unit might keep a fridge, furnace fan, lights and Wi-Fi going for about a day, longer if the sun comes out and recharges it. Central AC or an electric range drains it in hours. Your quote lists an estimate for the circuits you pick, and it's an estimate, not a promise.

Can I add a battery to the solar I already have?

Usually, yes. Some older inverters need an extra part to work with a battery. We check your equipment at the load review and tell you before quoting.

Do batteries qualify for incentives?

Some programs cover storage and some don't, and the rules change. You may qualify for a credit or a utility program; check current rules, or let us check them for your address. Anything that applies shows up as its own line in your quote.

Other services

Other services

No pressure, literally

Ready to talk battery storage?

Request a quote and we'll check your home first. You get a fixed price in writing, valid 90 days, or an honest 'you don't need this.' Either way, nobody camps at your kitchen table.

Prefer a human? Call (970) 555-0134 during office hours. We never cold-call.

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