June 21, 2013

SMA Solar, Germany’s largest solar company and the world’s largest maker of inverters, a device to feed solar-generated energy into the electricity grid, announced the introduction of a new battery set to store surplus daytime solar energy for up to three hours of nighttime use.

The new combined inverter battery will give a four-person household up to three hours of extra energy during the evening, the equivalent of up to 50 percent of their own solar power.

The company’s figures are based on conditions in Germany, where clouds and precipitation limit exposure to direct, unobstructed sunlight throughout the year.