Project Spotlight: 22 kW Solar and Whole-Home Battery Backup in Portland
Cascade Solar recently completed a substantial residential energy project in Portland, combining a 22 kW rooftop solar array with a FranklinWH whole-home battery backup system. The installation was designed to provide strong long-term solar production while giving the homeowner greater control over how electricity is generated, stored, and used.
Building a 22 kW Rooftop Solar Array
The solar portion of the project consists of 50 Silfab SIL-440-QD modules, each rated at 440 watts. Together, the modules create a total system capacity of 22 kW DC.
The panels were installed across the northwest- and southeast-facing roof sections to make effective use of the home’s available roof space. The completed system is expected to generate approximately 16,711 kWh of electricity annually, although actual production will vary with weather, shading, and household conditions.
Every module is paired with an Enphase IQ8-MC microinverter. Unlike a traditional string-inverter system, microinverters allow each solar panel to operate independently. This helps limit the effect that shading, debris, or differences between roof sections can have on the performance of the overall array.
The array is supported by an IronRidge XR10 mounting system. Careful layout, attachment placement, flashing, wire management, and equipment positioning all contribute to an installation that is secure, weather-resistant, and visually organized.
Adding Whole-Home Battery Backup
Solar production was only one part of this project. The home also received a FranklinWH aPower 2 battery and aGate X energy-management system in a whole-home backup configuration.
During normal operation, the FranklinWH system can store energy for use when it provides the most value to the homeowner. If utility power is interrupted, the aGate X can isolate the home from the electrical grid and allow the battery to continue supplying power to the home.
This installation also includes a generator module and generator connection port. The combination of solar, battery storage, and generator compatibility gives the homeowner multiple ways to maintain power during a prolonged outage. Instead of relying on a single backup source, the system can support a more flexible and resilient home-energy strategy.
The project required more than simply mounting a battery next to the electrical service. Cascade Solar’s scope included system design, permitting, trenching, backfilling, a 100-amp battery disconnect, a battery combiner panel, equipment setup, inspections, and a final homeowner walkthrough.
The Work Behind the Finished System
A completed solar array often appears simple from the ground, but reaching that finished result requires coordination between designers, project managers, electricians, and installation crews.
Before construction begins, the system must be designed around the home’s roof geometry, electrical infrastructure, energy needs, equipment requirements, and local permitting rules. During installation, the crew must coordinate rooftop work with the battery equipment and the home’s existing electrical system.
The in-progress stages reveal much of the workmanship that becomes less visible once the system is complete. Roof attachments must be properly located and flashed, modules must be aligned, wiring must be secured, and the battery equipment must be installed with the required disconnects, clearances, and electrical protection.
These details are what turn a collection of solar and battery components into a complete residential energy system.
A More Resilient Portland Home
With the installation completed, the home now has a 22 kW solar array designed for significant annual energy production, along with a FranklinWH battery system capable of providing whole-home backup.
The project demonstrates how solar and battery storage can work together as a unified system. The solar array generates electricity during the day, the battery provides a way to store and manage that energy, and the generator connection offers another layer of preparation for extended outages.
For Portland homeowners, this type of system can provide more than renewable electricity. It can also deliver better visibility into household energy use, greater flexibility, and added protection when the utility grid goes down.
Cascade Solar designs and installs customized solar and battery systems throughout the Portland area. Every project begins with the home itself, because the right energy system should reflect the property, the electrical infrastructure, and the homeowner’s individual goals.