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: Holdout Juror in Lindsay Clancy Trial Issues First Statement: ‘I Didn’t Have Any Doubts’
Juror who blocked Lindsay Clancy verdict disputes fellow jurors’ claims: report
Incumbent GOP Rep Attacks Trump for Enforcing Immigration Law in ‘Stunning’ Campaign Ad
ICE deports ex-Liberian fighter accused of torture, recruiting child soldiers
Trump’s EPA reforms are a huge boost to manufacturers, but there’s more red tape to cut: expert
Mike Huckabee calls out Macklemore on antisemitism: ‘Voice’ of ‘Jew hatred’
Hasan Piker Doubles Down on America Hate, Says US Bigger Terror Group Than Al-Qaeda
Federal Judge Refers Soros-Funded DA for Criminal Prosecution After Finding ‘Credible Evidence’ He ‘Violated the Law’
Minnesota-based UnitedHealthcare overbilled Medicaid by $47 million, federal audit finds
Trump DOJ official downplays antitrust concerns about companies coordinating AI safety development
Hasan Piker gives Democrats their latest headache after calling US ‘worse’ than al Qaeda
WATCH: Gaffe-prone Seattle socialist mayor cuts off police chief in yet another awkward interview
Texas Air National Guard pilot ejects safely before F-16 crash in Michigan
Are Conservatives Actually Represented in the Senate? John Cornyn’s X Page Should Have You Questioning Everything
Starbucks resolves Florida DEI lawsuit with blockbuster nationwide agreement
“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.
