No. (but kinda, yeah, to get the most out of it…)
Without batteries:
- If your Utility offers Net Metering, excess power generated will get “sold” to the grid and you receive credit.
- If your Utility does not offer Net Metering, excess power generated is simply lost.
- When the power goes out, in most states, you will not be able to utilize your solar generated energy during the power outage. Weird, right? Nah, it’s safety. This is in place to protect the workers on the line from any excess energy production passing through the lines while they are actively being worked on which could result in serious injury or worse.
With batteries:
- Excess power generated is stored in your batteries.
- If the power goes out, your house will run on battery – you might not even notice your neighbors lost power!