Do solar panels work during a power outage?
Usually not, and that surprises people after they've paid for the system. Here's why, and what changes it.
A standard grid-tied solar system does not power your home during an outage. Solar systems generally depend on the grid and, for safety reasons, are designed to switch off if grid power cuts out, the US Department of Energy says (DOE). To keep running on its own, a system needs two things: a properly configured inverter and a storage system such as a battery.
Why the system switches off
When the grid goes down, line crews work on wires they expect to be dead. A rooftop system that kept pushing power out could injure them or damage equipment, so grid-tied inverters detect the loss of grid power and shut down. It happens even at noon on a clear day.
What keeps the power on
- A battery with backup capability. The system disconnects from the grid and runs the home as an island. DOE describes this as switching to an "islanded" mode to keep the power on.
- The right inverter. Not every battery install is wired for backup. Ask the installer in writing whether the system will run during an outage and which circuits it will power.
- Enough capacity for what you need. A battery sized for evening bill savings may run a fridge, lights and internet for hours, not central air for days. Ask for the numbers for your loads.
How many homes add a battery
Share of home solar systems installed with a battery in the utility records I collected. It runs from 0% in Toms River to 19% in Austin:
| City | Years covered | Systems with a battery |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix, AZ | 2022–2023 | 3% |
| Tucson, AZ | 2022–2024 | 4% |
| San Antonio, TX | 2022–2024 | 7% |
| Austin, TX | 2022–2024 | 19% |
| San Diego, CA | 2022–2023 | 2% |
| Fresno, CA | 2022–2023 | 3% |
| Chandler, AZ | 2022–2023 | 1% |
| Scottsdale, AZ | 2022–2023 | 15% |
| Gilbert, AZ | 2022–2023 | 1% |
| Glendale, AZ | 2022–2023 | 1% |
| Tempe, AZ | 2022–2023 | 0% |
| Peoria, AZ | 2022–2023 | 8% |
| Surprise, AZ | 2022–2023 | 2% |
| San Jose, CA | 2022–2023 | 6% |
| Bakersfield, CA | 2022–2023 | 3% |
| Clovis, CA | 2022–2023 | 3% |
| Chula Vista, CA | 2022–2023 | 2% |
| Oceanside, CA | 2022–2023 | 2% |
| Carlsbad, CA | 2022–2023 | 2% |
| Toms River, NJ | 2022–2023 | 0% |
| New York, NY | 2022–2024 | 0% |
| Elizabeth, NJ | 2022–2023 | 0% |
| Yonkers, NY | 2022–2024 | 0% |
LBNL Tracking the Sun, companies with 30 or more systems in each city. How I count.
If outages are why you want solar
Say so when you ask for quotes. A solar-only quote and a solar-plus-battery quote are different systems at different prices. The quote form asks which one you want.
Run your own numbers
Enter your ZIP and bill to see what solar alone would save; pick solar + battery in the quote form if you want backup.
Keep reading
- Disadvantages of solar panels — Nine downsides to weigh before you sign, with numbers from real tariffs.
- Net metering vs net billing — How each utility credits the power you send to the grid, and what it does to savings.
- Solar on cloudy days, at night and in winter — How much output drops by season in each city, and what happens after dark or in an outage.
Installer records by city: solar companies in Phoenix, solar companies in Tucson, solar companies in San Antonio, solar companies in Austin, solar companies in San Diego, solar companies in Fresno, solar companies in Chandler, solar companies in Scottsdale, solar companies in Gilbert, solar companies in Glendale, solar companies in Tempe, solar companies in Peoria, solar companies in Surprise, solar companies in San Jose, solar companies in Bakersfield, solar companies in Clovis, solar companies in Chula Vista, solar companies in Oceanside, solar companies in Carlsbad, solar companies in Toms River, solar companies in New York, solar companies in Elizabeth, solar companies in Yonkers.
Updated 2026-09-21.