Thanks to this clean energy source, you can reduce utility bills for yourself and your community.
Battery storage technology releases stored power when your solar panels aren't generating electricity. Even during bad weather or a power outage, your home will still have power as a result of your battery storage attachment.
A recent marketplace report by EnergySage found that battery storage attachment rates have skyrocketed across the country. In fact, the number of homeowners pairing batteries with solar panels has tripled year over year.
The report also noted a combination of factors as the main drivers behind this increase in battery storage attachment rates. Lower pricing, policy changes, and the release of the Tesla Powerwall 3 have all contributed to the rise in battery storage, per the report.
Redditors in the r/TeslaSolar forum discussed the benefits of including a battery storage system with their solar installation.
"The advantage of a PowerWall is that when the power goes out, your lights stay on," wrote one user.
"Worth it for me just for peace of mind," responded another Redditor. "It's nice to know we'll be ok at night when power goes out again."
Switching to solar energy doesn't just help your household but also benefits your entire community. Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin analyzed the impact of solar-powered households on the entire country. Their findings were startling.
According to the study, investing in demand-reducing tools, such as solar panels, decreases utility operating costs by 40%. Without a way to reduce the total energy demand, the annual cost of providing electricity to a neighborhood-sized part of the grid is $7.2 million. However, the researchers were impressed to discover that when households invest in demand-reducing tools, savings for the same neighborhood-sized grid reach around $3 million.
Installing solar panels is one of the best ways to decrease your utility bills while also reducing your household's environmental impact. To learn more about how you can save money on energy, consider exploring EnergySage's free online tool. Within just a few minutes, you can receive solar installation estimates and compare different quotes.
After discussing the benefits of solar energy with InsideClimate News, lead author of the UT study, Nick Laws, emphasized the benefits of clean energy.
"It lowers the cost for everybody," Laws told ICN.
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