Rosewater Energy Group is introducing its Residential Energy Storage Hub as hurricane season comes into full swing with hurricane Isaac. The Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.-based company’s storage hub is capable of serving as an uninterruptible power supply for a local load like a home or business even if the power to the grid is cut off.

The system is ruggedized to withstand threats like, say, a hurricane. “It is a NEMA 3 enclosure and is seismic rated,” said Joe Piccirilli, managing director for Rosewater Energy Group. So it should be able to stand up to anything most hurricanes could subject it to.

The device is capable of taking in up to four power sources, as well. “It is designed for DC solar; this means that a customer does not need inverters on their solar panels. It will also accept AC wind,” Piccirilli said. The device also ties into the grid, so it can be charged from that as well when renewable sources are not tied into it or not working.

The Energy Storage Hub uses Axion Power’s lead-carbon batteries. According to Rosewater the batteries have 5 to 20 times the cycle life of lead-acid batteries found in other energy supply systems. The hub also has a 10 kilowatt, 12 kilowatt hour power quality conversion switchgear that helps deal with power quality problems, like intermittent solar or wind, and even the grid. The device also provides conditioned current at 110 volts and 60 cycles.

The system can be used to take advantage of time of use rates to help owners reduce the cost of electricity and maximize net-metering or feed-in tariffs rates where they are available, according to Piccirilli. However, they’re not cheap. Each system costs $45,000, about as much as a nice SUV. But the systems can be put together, increasing their storage capacity from up to 60 kilowatt hours, in 12 kilowatt hour increments.

The system also uses Rosewater’s Energy Router, which allows home- or business owners to monitor the system both at home and remotely.