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May 9, 2026Most residential solar in NJ is grid-tied. Off-grid makes sense in specific situations. Here’s how to think about it and what battery sizing looks like for each.
Grid-Tied Solar (The Standard)
Your panels connect to the utility grid. Excess power exports for net metering credits. You draw from the grid at night and on low-production days. Batteries are optional — added for backup power, not as a requirement. This is 95%+ of residential installs in NJ.
Off-Grid Solar
No utility connection. Your panels and batteries must supply 100% of your power, including cloudy weeks in winter. Requires a much larger battery bank and often a backup generator. Cost is significantly higher than grid-tied for the same usage level. Makes sense for remote properties where grid connection is expensive or unavailable.
Battery Sizing for Grid-Tied Backup
For whole-home backup: size for 1–2 days of critical loads (refrigerator, lights, internet, some outlets). For a typical NJ home that’s 20–40 kWh of storage — roughly 2 Tesla Powerwall 3s or 4 Enphase IQ10C batteries. Most outages in NJ last less than 24 hours.
Battery Sizing for Off-Grid
Off-grid battery sizing needs to cover your worst-case winter week — when solar production is lowest and usage is highest. For a typical NJ home, that’s 80–120 kWh of storage minimum, with a generator backup for extended cloudy periods. This gets expensive quickly.
The Practical Advice
For NJ homeowners: stay grid-tied. Add a 10–20 kWh battery if outage resilience matters to you. Off-grid is a significantly more complex and expensive system that’s rarely the right answer when utility connection is available.
Find Out What Solar Saves You in Your Home
Every home is different — roof angle, usage, utility rate, and local incentives all affect your numbers. Enter your monthly electric bill below for a free savings estimate. Jon reviews every submission personally and follows up within 2 hours.
Grid-Tied or Off-Grid — Let’s Figure Out What Your NJ Home Needs
For most NJ homeowners, grid-tied with backup battery is the right answer. Jon sizes battery systems based on your specific outage history, critical loads, and usage pattern. Book a free call to get a recommendation for your home.
