A battery backup system stores electricity and delivers it automatically when the grid fails. For Southern Oregon businesses and homeowners, that means operations stay online during outages and, for customers on Pacific Power’s time-of-use plan, it means shifting consumption away from the costlier peak hours each evening. A FranklinWH system works with or without solar panels.
Why Southern Oregon Businesses Are Installing Battery Backup
The reasons to add battery backup have stacked up over the past few years. Wildfire-related outages are longer and harder to predict. Pacific Power offers a time-of-use billing option that makes peak-hour power more expensive than off-peak power. And businesses in cold storage, agriculture, food service, and manufacturing cannot afford to go dark, even briefly.
For operations where an outage means lost inventory, failed refrigeration, or interrupted production, backup power is a business continuity decision. It is not optional.
For properties with high monthly bills, a battery system that avoids peak rates can pay back a meaningful share of its cost every year. That payback happens whether or not solar panels are part of the picture.
Battery Backup Without Solar: Why It Still Makes Financial Sense
You do not need solar panels to benefit from a battery backup system. A FranklinWH unit can charge directly from the grid during off-peak hours. If you’re on Pacific Power’s time-of-use plan, the battery switches to stored power during peak hours (5 to 9 p.m. daily), avoiding the higher rate. That shift alone can produce real savings on your energy bill every month.
No local installer has made this argument clearly in their published content. If your primary goal is outage protection or lower bills, you do not have to wait for a full solar project to make the numbers work.
This is especially true for businesses with predictable daytime power loads: HVAC-heavy operations, commercial kitchens, agricultural processing facilities. The shift from grid to stored power during peak hours adds up across a full year.
Pacific Power’s Time-of-Use Plan and How a Battery Uses It
Pacific Power offers an opt-in time-of-use billing plan for Oregon customers. Under that plan, power used during peak hours (5 to 9 p.m. daily) costs more than power used at other times. Off-peak hours, including overnight, carry the lower rate.
A battery system takes advantage of that spread. It charges at the lower off-peak rate and supplies stored power when peak pricing is in effect, so you’re not drawing from the grid at the most expensive time of day. For any business or property already on the TOU plan, or considering it, a battery makes the math work in your favor.
Pacific Power has raised rates multiple times in recent years and filed for additional increases. The value of owning stored power only grows as utility costs continue to rise.
Why We Install FranklinWH Battery Systems
FranklinWH systems are designed for whole-property backup, not just a few circuits. The aPower 2 battery delivers 15 kWh of storage and 10 kW of continuous output. Systems are scalable: start with one battery and add capacity later as your needs change, without replacing any existing equipment.
What a properly sized FranklinWH system can run:
- HVAC systems and heat pumps
- Commercial refrigeration and cold storage
- Well pumps (common on rural Southern Oregon properties)
- Lighting, outlets, and general facility loads
- Security systems, internet, and communications equipment
Every system we install is sized around your actual loads. We do not quote from a template.
Battery Backup vs. Generator: How to Choose
Battery backup and generators protect against the same problem in different ways. A battery system responds instantly, runs without fuel, and works every day to manage peak-rate costs. A propane or natural gas generator can run for days during extended outages. For many commercial properties, both make sense.
Battery backup tends to be the right primary choice when:
- Outages in your area tend to be short, a few hours or less
- Reducing peak-hour energy costs matters as much as outage protection
- Noise, fuel storage, or regular maintenance are concerns
A standby generator becomes the stronger option when:
- Your operation needs days of continuous power
- You’re on a rural property where fire-season outages can last a week
- Upfront cost is the overriding factor
If you’re weighing both, ask us about a combined system. A battery handles short outages and daily savings; a generator takes over when stored power runs low.
How the Process Works
Step 1: Free
Power Assessment
Walk us through your energy use, your monthly bill, and what you need to keep running during an outage. We’ll review your Pacific Power rate structure, identify your peak-hour exposure, and explain exactly what a battery system would do for your situation. No obligation.
Step 2: Licensed
Installation
Our licensed team handles the electrical permit, coordinates the required inspection, and installs your FranklinWH system to code. Every battery backup installation in Oregon requires an electrical permit and inspection. We manage the paperwork and scheduling so you don’t have to.
Step 3: Ongoing
Support
After installation, we stay available. If something comes up months or years down the road, you’re calling a local owner who knows your system personally, not an 800 number.
FAQs About Commercial Solar And Energy Solutions.
- Does battery backup work without solar panels?
Yes. A FranklinWH system can charge directly from the grid during off-peak hours. You do not need solar panels to run a battery backup system or to benefit from time-of-use rate savings. Solar and battery are often paired, but they are independent decisions.
- How does a battery system reduce my Pacific Power bill?
Pacific Power offers an opt-in time-of-use billing plan where power drawn during peak hours (5 to 9 p.m. daily) costs more than power used at other times. A battery charges during off-peak hours at the lower rate and supplies stored power during peak hours, so you avoid the higher cost. For customers on the TOU plan, that difference adds up across every billing cycle.
- What can a FranklinWH battery system run during an outage?
A properly sized FranklinWH system can run HVAC, refrigeration, well pumps, lighting, and communications equipment. The exact loads depend on system size and your facility’s consumption. We size every system around your actual usage before installation.
- How long will a battery backup system last before it needs replacing?
FranklinWH aPower 2 batteries carry a 15-year warranty and are built for long-term use. Actual lifespan depends on cycle frequency and operating conditions. Most commercial and residential battery systems in regular use last well beyond 10 years before any significant degradation.
- Is battery backup right for my commercial property?
It depends on your power bill, the criticality of your equipment, and how your property is exposed to outages. We offer a free power assessment that looks at your energy use, your Pacific Power rate structure, and your downtime risk. That conversation will tell you whether the numbers make sense before you commit to anything.
- Does the federal commercial tax credit apply to battery backup systems?
The commercial investment tax credit (ITC) remains at 30 percent as of 2026 and applies to battery storage systems installed alongside commercial solar. Battery-only installations may also qualify under certain conditions. We recommend discussing specifics with a tax advisor familiar with energy property credits. The residential solar ITC expired December 31, 2025 and does not apply.
Ready to Stop Paying Peak Rates and Start Building Backup Power?
We have been installing energy systems in Southern Oregon for over 20 years. We know the grid, the utility rates, and the conditions local properties deal with. A free power assessment takes about an hour and gives you a clear picture of what a battery system would actually do for your operation.