Home energy systems have become a hot topic as of late within the custom integration space. But, despite all the interest being displayed by integrators and their clients alike, there are still plenty of challenges that an integrator must face when installing energy storage systems.
According to Joe Piccirilli of RoseWater Energy, when first getting started in the category, the biggest and most daunting challenge that an integrator is going to be faced with is the sheer amount of knowledge needed to start installing energy storage systems.
Not only is the home battery itself a complex product that can function very differently from manufacturer to manufacturer based on its chemistry and associated systems, but the way in which it integrates into a home’s electrical system also adds complexity based on the energy sources being leveraged and the energy profile of the house itself.
Thankfully, because of how important a strong knowledge base is when working with these products, vendors are more than willing to train professionals looking to get into working with these systems.
As integrators are far more familiar with working on low-voltage projects, the jump to high voltage when working with a home’s electrical system can be a serious deterrent. Not only is working on high-voltage equipment more dangerous by default, but in all cases, it requires additional licensing or certification to be a qualified installer.
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Requirements vary by state, but in any case, this will require additional training on the part of the technicians that will be installing these systems. For many integrators, that loss of productivity on training combined with the added expense might not be worth it when just starting out.
There are workarounds to this challenge, however. Some manufacturers will offer white glove services, meaning that the manufacturer will handle all the installation for the energy storage systems, rather than the integrator. Integrators can also opt to work with a licensed electrician as part of a business partnership that will allow them to explore these types of installations before deciding whether it is worth training someone in house.
Within the energy space, very few companies are offering a comprehensive solution. Rare is it to find companies offering monitoring, storage, distribution and conditioning in a singular package—or in a single company’s catalog of solutions for that matter. To get all of these functions in a singular solution, then, requires multiple integrations with different brands, which can greatly add to the challenge and complexity when installing energy storage systems.
On top of that, most manufacturers simply don’t know how to engage with the CI industry. Currently–outside of a select few like Savant and RoseWater Energy–most manufacturers are pitching their solutions directly to either solar installers or electricians, whose business models and needs differ drastically from that of the AV industry, meaning support might be limited at first.
Systems are improving, however. As mentioned previously, Savant is one of the rare manufacturers within the CI channel with a solution that covers multiple components of an energy storage system and can easily be integrated with one another. However, integrators can also continue to grow their knowledge base through education and seminars to better understand all that needs to come together to create an ideal system and find the manufacturers that are able to supply that.
In addition to electricians, installing energy storage systems will require integrators to work more collaboratively with other trades than they may usually on projects. For example, finding locations to store elements like the battery will require conversations with the architecture and design team in the initial build of the home.
Unique to energy storage systems, however, are the interactions with solar installers.
“You have to be willing to work with solar if you’re installing these types of systems,” notes Orrin Charm of Charm & Imagination. “Nobody but those guys are going to want to get up on the roof to install the panels.”
A benefit to working in this category, however, and what can be leveraged to the benefit of integrators, is how early electricity comes into the conversation when building a house. By offering energy storage systems, integrators can get introduced onto projects earlier in the design process and use that earlier entry to advocate for more accommodating designs for any future technology upgrades.
Batteries eventually need to be replaced and depending upon battery type and usage by the client, the timing for these replacements can vary greatly. Do you have your team handle the replacements? Can the manufacturer or solar installer handle them instead? These are questions that need to be answered up front when installing the system to avoid any major headaches in the long run.
Charm recounts an experience he had wherein he let the solar company handle the replacement of batteries, by signing a lease for the solar panels, rather than outright buying them. The lease, which lasted 25 years, guaranteed replacements for the batteries during that timeframe, meaning Charm was off the hook for having to replace it himself, though it did end up costing more in the long-run than buying them outright.
Integrators can again leverage this to their advantage, however, using the prospect of routine maintenance to maintain a closer client relationship that may result in additional home upgrades down the line, especially if they were able to make the case for pre-wiring the home during the initial install.
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