When combined, home-based solar and battery technology can keep the lights on during the annoying blackouts that are becoming more common in the U.S.
What's more, the setups are now a reliable alternative to fossil-burning generators with clear advantages, as reported by the Washington Post.
What are the latest innovations?
Improved tech has quickly advanced the once-bulky home-based systems, turning them into sleek and, in some cases, hardly noticeable sun-catchers.
There are nailable shingles from GAF Energy that can withstand winds of up to 130 miles per hour. While neighbors are in the dark due to downed power lines, GAF's customers can still be energized if they have banked their solar power in a reliable battery pack, such as a Tesla Powerwall.
Tesla posted on X in February that 600,000 Powerwalls have been installed worldwide. The waist-high power packs are installed at home and can be combined with panels or a Solar Roof — another shingle-like product from Tesla — to capture and store sun energy.
Tesla markets Powerwall as a safeguard against blackouts. They can also be used to charge electric vehicles.
EVs, particularly trucks from Ford, Chevrolet, and other brands, now have batteries that can also power homes for a short time during outages.
There are even portable, solar-powered packs that can provide clean juice for emergencies or camping trips.
"You get benefit all the time," Z. Smith, sustainability and building performance director for New Orleans-based architecture firm EskewDumezRipple, told the Post.
Why go with solar over a fossil generator?
Fossil-burning generators release toxic gases that can kill you if used improperly, either running them indoors or without proper ventilation, as the Post reports.
Solar power does not create air pollution. Better yet, the homeowner can consistently reap savings. While fuel-based generators can cost less initially — from hundreds to thousands of dollars, compared to around $15,000-$22,000 for an average solar panel system — they don't offer the lasting money-saving (and earning) benefits that solar can provide.
Portable solar generators and panels are less expensive options. They can cost hundreds to a couple thousand bucks or more, depending on the brand and size.
How does solar save homeowners money?
Going solar can help you to electrify your rides and appliances, which can save you time in the kitchen. Rewiring America is a free, nonprofit online service that can help you find the right tax rebates, contractors, and other tips for easy, cost-saving upgrades.
Tax credits available through the next decade can provide a 30% rebate on solar project installation, which equates to thousands of dollars for most projects, per MarketWatch. That's not to mention the annual energy savings of up to $1,500 that you can realize.
Once you have a system in place, you could take part in a Virtual Power Plant program, depending on where you live. The plants leverage home-based batteries to form a network of banked solar electricity that can be used when the grid fails.
Tesla's California VPPs pay Powerwall owners $2 for every kilowatt-hour they provide to the grid when called upon. The owner has the ability to set limits for how much power can be pulled from their battery.
"If you look at the value of just the solar, in most places in the country it pays back pretty quickly," Mark Dyson, managing director for energy think tank RMI, told the Post.
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more, waste less, and help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
