Instead of wiring into a home’s breaker box, the Backup by BioLite home backup power solution relies on thin battery panels that can fit behind appliances to keep them running for days at a time. It’s built around two 1.5kWh lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4, or LFP) batteries, the Backup Core and Backup Extend. Like any uninterruptible power supply, the Backup Core keeps itself perpetually charged from a wall outlet while power is available, then switches to keep whatever’s plugged into it running during a power outage.
If you need more backup power, up to five Backup Extend units can be connected to a Backup Core unit to expand the total capacity to 9kWh, and you don’t need a contractor or electrician to install any of it.
BioLite’s system was designed to be a cheaper and easier alternative to whole-home backup power solutions that rely on a central battery or gas-powered generator to keep an entire house running during a power outage. A natural gas generator alone can cost well over $5,000, while a Tesla Powerwall installation can set you back over $10,000.
The Backup Core battery panel will sell for $1,999, but BioLite will also offer a $2,999 Backup Complete solution, pairing a Core with a single Extend battery, that’s eligible for a 30 percent home energy tax credit. The company says the 3kWh Backup Complete has enough capacity to keep an 18 cubic foot fridge running for up to 60 hours or a larger 26 cubic foot fridge powered for up to 30 hours while also allowing for the occasional use of lights or other smaller appliances.
BioLite is bringing its backup power solution to consumers through a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign that launches today, with discounts for early backers or those who opt to put down a deposit and pay in full through an installment plan later. Although the company has been around since 2006, making products like a power-generating camp stove, this will be its most expensive offering to date, and the usual caveats and risks with crowdfunded products apply here.
The Backup by BioLite batteries measure 29 inches tall and weigh between 35 and 40 lbs. They’re each just 2.8 inches thick, however, allowing them to be mounted out of sight behind appliances or furniture using hardware that takes about 30 minutes to install, claims the company. But a permanent installation isn’t necessary, as BioLite says the batteries will work just as well placed atop a fridge or slid under a bed.