Every year, the summer storm season seems to become longer and more intense. Storms that used to happen once a century are almost annual events, and power outages – sometimes lasting for days or even weeks – have become the norm.
“In this era, why are we not all generating our own electricity and storing it at our homes and cottages?” asks Francois Byrne. “It seems like a lost opportunity.”
As an engineering student, Francois became fascinated by the challenges of storing electrical energy. That led him to form Hybrid Power Solutions, a Canadian manufacturer of energy storage, portable power & battery backup systems.
And that, in turn, led naturally to solar power installations.
“Whether you have storage capacity at home or not, generating your own power just makes sense,” he says. “A solar system will last for at least 20 to 25 years, and at today’s electricity rates the payback time is 7 to 12 years. That means a decade or more of absolutely free electricity.”
The most comprehensive system consists of two main components, Francois explains: the solar panels and the battery backup. But it is entirely possible to install one and not the other.
“We can install a battery backup system that functions purely as a silent, always-ready alternative to a gas generator,” he says. “It’s fully charged and ready to go, and when the hydro system goes down, you’ve got power when you need it.”
“You may not even know the power is out until you notice your neighbours don’t have any lights on.”
There are also portable battery systems that are perfect for bunkies, off-grid construction sites and more.
But for the most dramatic energy savings, solar is the way to go.
“On long sunny days your panels will probably generate more power than you need,” Francois explains. “Then you can sell it back to the hydro grid. And when the sun isn’t shining, you have a credit which you can use to buy power back.”
Combine the panels and a battery backup, of course, and you enjoy the best of both: free electricity, available whenever you need it.
Hybrid Power Solutions is an all-Canadian company offering turnkey power solutions. They manufacture the power storage systems themselves – using Canadian-sourced parts as much as possible – and install as well. “We’re rapidly expanding, which is why we’ve just launched our solar and energy storage installer franchise program,”says Francois.
“The future is bright, no matter what storms may come up.”
