Californians have embraced rooftop solar panels more than anyone in the U.S., but many are learning the hard way the systems won’t keep the lights on during blackouts.
That’s because most panels are designed to supply power to the grid — not directly to houses. During the heat of the day, solar systems can crank out more juice than a home can handle. Conversely, they don’t produce power at all at night. So systems are tied into the grid, and the vast majority aren’t working this week as PG&E Corp. cuts power to much of Northern California to prevent wildfires.
The only way for most solar panels to work during a blackout is pairing them with batteries. That market is just starting to take off. Sunrun Inc., the largest U.S. rooftop solar company, said some of its customers are making it through the blackouts with batteries, but it’s a tiny group — countable in the hundreds.
Breaking: New Hiring Twice as High as Economists Expected in Gangbusters Jobs Report
2 States Aren’t Just Defying ‘Pride Month,’ They’re Replacing Pagan Celebration With ‘Nuclear Family Month’
The Octagon on the South Lawn: Trump’s UFC Freedom 250 White House extravaganza
Republicans face ticking midterm clock as Iran fallout keeps pressure on gas prices
Trump’s personal legal team aims to clear hush money conviction
Dem senator bankrolling Platner’s campaign ripped for downplaying abuse allegations in bombshell report
The key strategy red states are using to lower housing costs revealed
Senate push to reauthorize nation’s spy powers stumbles over controversial Trump decision
Handcuffed suspect allegedly slips restraints, steals Dallas police cruiser with officer trapped in back seat
Overcrowded migrant vessel with 240 people on board intercepted near Turks and Caicos
Rubio sanctions Cuban groups with ties to US nonprofit network funded by communist donor Neville Roy Singham
New Jersey man accused of killing wife with barbell allegedly confessed in messages to relatives: report
Trump announces ‘rally to end all rallies’ in DC to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary
Feds say US citizen gathered information on American targets for Chinese Communist Party
AOC dodges questions on abuse allegations, Nazi tattoo claims rocking Platner’s campaign
“It’s the perfect combination for getting through these shutdowns,” Sunrun Chairman Ed Fenster said in an interview. He expects battery sales to boom in the wake of the outages.
And no, trying to run appliances off the power in a Tesla Inc. electric car won’t work, at least without special equipment.
Story cited here.
