Backup power
Home Battery Backup & Solar Storage in West Kelowna, BC
The whole Westside hangs off one transmission line. A battery keeps your fridge, furnace fan, well pump and internet running when it goes down.
Battery Backup for the Westside
West Kelowna, Westbank First Nation and Peachland get their power through one substation, fed by a single 138 kV line from near Merritt across wildfire country. When that line or a local feeder goes down, thousands of homes go dark at once. Two outages in July 2026 each hit more than 3,000 West Kelowna customers. BC Hydro plans a second supply across the lake, but construction is years away, as early as 2029.
Most people don’t realise this until the first outage: a normal grid-tied solar system switches off when the grid goes down. It has to, so it never sends power onto a line crews are working on. Add a battery and the right inverter and the system disconnects from the grid by itself and keeps your chosen circuits running on stored solar power.
BC Hydro pays $500 per kWh of battery storage installed with solar, up to $1,500, or up to $5,000 if you enrol the battery in Peak Saver. Peak Saver events run in winter, last no more than four hours, and never drain the battery below 20%, so you keep a reserve.
Under the 2026 self-generation rate a battery also earns its keep day to day: it stores afternoon solar that would otherwise be exported at 10¢ and uses it in the evening, when it saves you 11.87–14.08¢.
Call 250-250-2525 and tell us what you have now. We add batteries to new systems and to existing ones, including systems we didn’t install.
What’s included
What Battery Backup Includes
Backup load planning
Backing up the whole house is costly and rarely needed. We pick the circuits that must stay on (furnace fan, fridge, freezer, well pump, internet, some lights, medical equipment) and size the battery for those.
Capacity and runtime
Sized for how long you want to ride through. You see the price of one night of essentials next to two or three days.
Hybrid or AC-coupled
New systems usually use a hybrid inverter. With existing solar we normally AC-couple the battery, so working equipment stays in place.
Automatic islanding
The system separates from the grid and keeps your backup circuits running with nothing for you to do, in a BC Hydro-approved setup.
Rebate and Peak Saver
We handle the battery rebate and explain exactly what Peak Saver enrolment means for your reserve before you sign up.
Monitoring and outage mode
Charge level, solar in and household load out on your phone, with an alert when the grid drops.
Pricing
Battery Backup Costs
| System | Suits | Installed cost |
|---|---|---|
| Essential circuits | Furnace fan, fridge, well pump, lights, internet | $12,000 – $17,000 |
| Whole-home backup | Full panel backed up, larger capacity | $18,000 – $24,000 |
| Battery added to existing solar | AC-coupled retrofit | $12,000 – $22,000 |
Prices are before the BC Hydro battery rebate (up to $1,500, or $5,000 with Peak Saver, capped at 50% of cost). Capacity and how much of the panel you back up decide where you land. Financing available.
An honest note on payback. Batteries rarely pay for themselves on energy savings alone, even with the 2026 export rate. People on the Westside buy them for resilience: staying warm, keeping a well pump and freezer running, and working from home through an outage. That is a good reason, and we won’t pretend it is an investment.
Why us
Why People Choose Us for Backup
Load first, battery second
Getting the circuit list right keeps the price down. Most homes need less capacity than they think.
Straight talk on payback
A battery is mostly a resilience purchase, and we tell you so.
Retrofits welcome
We add storage to existing arrays, including ones other companies installed.
Peak Saver explained
The $5,000 rebate is worth having. We make sure you know what it asks of your battery first.
Why backup matters here
Why the Westside Needs Backup More Than Most
West Kelowna, Westbank First Nation and Peachland, nearly 26,000 BC Hydro customers, all draw power through the Westbank substation. That substation is fed by a single 138 kV line from near Merritt, across rugged terrain that burns in bad fire years.
When it or a local feeder goes down, the whole area can go dark at once. Two outages in July 2026 each left more than 3,000 West Kelowna customers without power. BC Hydro is planning a second supply across the lake from Kelowna, but construction is not expected before 2029.
Your battery covers the gap automatically. Peak Saver events run in winter, last no more than four hours and never take the battery below 20%, so you keep a reserve.
Process
How a Battery Project Runs
Outage conversation
What has to stay on, and for how long.
Electrical review
Your panel, any existing solar, and how the system will island.
Options priced
Essential circuits vs whole-home, one night vs several days.
Install and outage test
We cut the grid on purpose so you can see the backup take over.
Areas We Serve
Solar Battery Storage & Backup Power across West Kelowna, Peachland, Summerland and Westside Road.
Our Other Services
- Residential Solar Panel InstallationRooftop solar sized to your BC Hydro bills. From $9,200 installed, less up to $5,000 back.
- Commercial, Winery & Agricultural SolarRoof and ground-mount systems for wineries, orchards and businesses. BC Hydro rebate up to $10,000.
- Off-Grid Solar SystemsStand-alone power with a battery bank and generator backup, sized for December rather than July.
- Solar Panel Repair, Cleaning & MaintenanceOutput diagnosis, inverter replacement, smoke-and-ash cleaning and inspections, on any installer’s system.
Find out what solar would do to your BC Hydro bill.
A free estimate starts with a short phone call. No pressure, no obligation, and a straight answer either way.
250-250-2525