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.
Federal judge hands Biden’s home state a loss in battle of ICE access to labor data
Watch: Biden Drags College Administrator Up to Podium to Compare Him to Obama
Vance anti-fraud task force suspends 447 hospices in Los Angeles over more than $600M in suspected fraud
Pakistan Police Allegedly Torture Roman Catholic Man to Death
Republican seeks blue-state breakthrough, distances from Trump while taking aim at ‘socialist’
Suspect in string of random attacks in Georgia is naturalized citizen from UK, DHS says
DOJ sues Connecticut, New Haven over sanctuary policies: ‘Open defiance’
House avoids unprecedented four-member expulsion week as Swalwell and Gonzales resign instead
BREAKING: DHS Employee Among Victims in Georgia Murder Spree by Naturalized US Citizen
New video shows Oklahoma high school principal tackling gunman who opened fire inside the school
BREAKING: Swalwell’s Campaign Paid for Room at Hotel Where He Allegedly Raped Lonna Drewes – Same Timeframe, Same Address
Colorado highway descends into chaos after massive 75-vehicle pileup, amid hazardous winter weather
Former UCLA gynecologist sentenced after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting patients at school
Docs show migrant accused of killing Loyola student was flagged as flight risk before release
Two Congressmen Resign Hours Apart, Underscoring One Basic Commandment: Don’t Commit Adultery
“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.
