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.
Trump to honor Artemis II astronauts who traveled farther from Earth than any humans in history
Trump fires back after protester interrupts Myrtle Beach rally for Graham: ‘Mom is voting for us’
More Westerners Waking up to Islam as Gov’t Bans Face Coverings, Leaving Both Muslims and (Ironically) Feminists Angry
Trump rally security ejects protester wearing ‘kill your local pedophile’ shirt
Candace Cameron Bure Tears Up on Air Over Constant Criticism, But God Provided a Literally Perfect Smile Through the Pain
Fauci’s lawyers launch legal defense fund as federal, state investigations mount against him
‘Escalating Pressures’ from the FCC Have Impacted ‘The View’s’ Guest List: Disney Lawsuit
Late-night bull run ends with a little cowboy know-how on busy California highway
They Never Learn: NYT Ordered to Pay $9 Million After Falsely Linking Innocent Student to 2023 Murder
New Jersey mother allegedly drunk when boat hit channel marker on Memorial Day, killing her son
Texas Gov Abbott asks the Justice Department to investigate ‘discriminatory’ Islamic washing stations
DOJ says Rubio should have final say over Foreign Service board in latest bid to tighten executive powers
Trump Announces Deal to ‘Substantially Lower the Price of Ground Beef’
Chinese Man Charged with Illegally Voting in US Election and Trying to Frame Someone Else
Vance unloads on El-Sayed over Sharia remarks: ‘That’s not my grandpa’s Democratic Party’
“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.
