Considering the recent blackouts in Texas, and the 2019 outages in California, the home backup power industry is more essential than ever. And it’s also more varied than ever, due to cost-competitive solar generation and battery backup competing on the home generator’s turf.

There are pros and cons to consider when deciding between portable vs. standby generators, and solar battery backup vs. generators. There’s also the hybrid option of combining solar panels with a backup generator. This article, built on the knowledge of our Square D™ residential energy experts, explores each approach to help you decide.

Portable generators vs. standby generators vs. solar

Prepare for the next outage by weighing the pros and cons of short-term versus long-term fixes.

1) Short-term: portable generators
Let’s start with portable generators: a quick and easy power source for your home. These affordable machines typically run on either gasoline or diesel fuel. To play it safe, budget at least $30 per day for fuel costs.

Choosing the right size portable generator is important because it’s possible for them to overload. Overloads happen when you use more watts than your generator can handle, resulting in machine deterioration, fire, and possibly even an explosion.

To determine the correct portable generator for your home, consider making an appointment for an estimate with a utility provider such as Solar Power Integrator. This system captures device-level data on your household’s energy consumption and provides a clear picture of how many watts each appliance is using. Armed with this information, you can properly size a generator for your home.

A licensed electrician can also use the data from your home energy monitor to help you identify critical loads in your electrical panel and determine the best way for you to switch these loads on or off. For example, you may want your refrigerator and lights to remain on but you can do without your washer, dryer, and dishwasher.

The bottom line: Portable generators for the home are suitable when you require immediate power to your critical loads with low upfront costs, but they require manual startup, take time to turn on during an outage, and incur ongoing fuel costs. Another factor to consider is that many portable generators are quite noisy.

2) Long-term: standby generators
Standby generators, also known as pad-mount generators, are permanent household fixtures installed outside your home on a concrete pad. The unit size you need depends on your home’s square footage. During an outage, pad-mount generators power on automatically and continue running indefinitely, most often using your home’s natural gas or propane.

Although they cost considerably more than portable models when you factor in installation, a standby generator’s automatic operation and stress-free refueling provide peace of mind to homeowners in energy-inconsistent regions.

3) Long-term: solar with battery backup
One of the cleanest energy solutions during an outage comes from solar power. However, most household solar panel systems feed directly into the main power grid, meaning they stop working during an outage and won’t produce energy again until the utility starts up. That’s why you’d still need to combine your solar panels with a generator or battery.

To maintain power when the grid goes down, you can purchase either an off-grid residential solar power system or install a battery backup system that stores energy generated from the solar panels and switches on in the event of a power failure. For many years, the price of batteries made this approach cost prohibitive. Fortunately, the price of batteries has plummeted 89 percent between 2010 – 2020, and storage is rapidly approaching cost competitiveness compared to standby generators.

Once residential solar and battery storage systems are purchased and installed at your home, energy generated from your panels is free and will power your critical loads indefinitely if the solar array is sized correctly.

Prepare now by understanding your energy use

Although we can’t predict the next big outage, we know that with worsening weather conditions and increased stress on the existing grid, it’s just a matter of time

Prepare early by taking a deeper look at your home’s energy use using Wiser Energy. Not only will this monitor help you understand your backup power needs, but it also collects real-time information on your energy use — allowing you to make split-second decisions that extend the life of your backup energy source during an outage.

https://blog.se.com/residential/2021/02/19/portable-generators-vs-pad-mount-generators-vs-solar-whats-best/

Solar energy has come a long way since it first appeared on the market. Over the last 4 decades, solar panels have received major upgrades, making them more efficient while reducing the cost by 99% (1). The reduction of solar equipment costs is what makes it affordable for you!

There are a couple of different reasons why solar costs have decreased over the years. According to the Solar Energy Industry Association, the cost of solar has actually decreased more than 70% over the last decade (1). The primary contributor to falling costs of solar energy is the recent growth of the solar industry. In the last 10 years, solar has grown on average about 49% due to the solar investment tax credit (ITC) and increased demand (2). In 2010, there was a total of 266.5 Megawatts installed. Today there are 17,548.31 Megawatts installed.

Secondly, solar growth can be attributed to advances in solar technology. Solar technology has improved greatly throughout the years making it affordable for you. The power cells have become much more efficient in converting sunlight into electricity. Module manufacturing plants have also become much larger, creating a greater economy of scale. While we do see a decrease in hard costs (which includes the actual equipment), the soft costs (permitting, inspection, interconnection, etc.) are seeing an increase. Soft cost increase is primarily due to inconsistent building codes and permitting practices across jurisdictions, which puts more timely and costly strains on installers.

Lastly, governmental policy involvement has helped lower the cost of solar which accounts for 60% of the overall cost decline (1). The renewable portfolio standards, feed-in tariffs, R&D, and subsidies have helped lower the cost of solar. This provides insight to technological innovation and emission policies that can help lower the cost of solar over time. Jessika Trancik, an MIT associate professor, stated: “As emissions policies are implemented, low carbon technology markets grow, technologies improve and the costs of future emissions reductions can decline.” As we continue to improve solar technology, the cost to the consumer will only continue to decrease. In addition, the new Biden Administration has big plans to help reduce costs of solar and battery storage as the industry continues to grow.

Due to COVID-19, solar growth is hard to predict right now as there has been a fairly recent decline in the industry and overall economy. However, the SEIA predicts that once the economy starts back up, recovery of consumer and business demand, financial market stability, and resumption of growth in electricity demand growth in solar will continue (2).

Overall, it is evident that solar is here to stay, and with the cost going down every year why not make the switch! Call 361-360-1800 or schedule your FREE energy assessment to see how affordable your solar system can be.

http://news.mit.edu/2018/explaining-dropping-solar-cost-1120https://www.seia.org/solar-industry-research-data

https://www.seia.org/solar-industry-research-data

On the night of Valentine’s Day, lovers spent the holiday preparing for the most chilling winter storm on Texas record. Two days later February 16th, the repercussions began to surface among many cities across Texas.

This was not the average cold front of the annual season and communities all over the state suffered freezing temperatures dropping below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. The infrastructure of homes, businesses and other institutions faced no chance at enduring the impact of the record low temperatures and reaching every city from North to South Texas impacting families to the brink of fatality.

Homeowners and renters took drastic measures to stay warm and survive the utility blackout. Homes of all classes lost power due to controlled outages ranging from one day to the entire week of the storm. The Houston hub has yet to resolve many of the infrastructure damage and about 2.5 million homes went without power in the entire Lone Star State.

As the second day rolled in, people started to ask questions to their energy suppliers as to why they have not seen any services being facilitated among residential neighborhoods. Status updates were released by AEP and shared through-out all social media platforms to inform concerned readers about interrupted service calls. Once the public became aware of the controlled outages, it led to more questions.

Whichever direction people point fingers; it’s only leading to endless blame and more division. Let your grumpy neighbor pound their fists at the energy suppliers but take heed to the reality in which Texas was much too dependent on the fossil fuel industry as the only firm power source in existence. The whole state must take ownership for lack of preparation and reinforce the infrastructure for the future. “DON’T MESS WITH TEXAS” isn’t just a phrase, it’s a standard to live by even on our darkest days.

The polar vortex hit record subzero temperatures that week and shattered most of the infrastructure, but it is also an opportunity to improve the systems that we consume from. Integrated solar markets, new digital communication, and energy distribution all play a role, but the question is how will it be properly managed? Many companies are innovating new methods to maintain energy resilience considering solar as one in high demand. It is important to consider that energy is being used on a day-to-day basis and will continue to evolve in high volumes.

To understand how solar can benefit your home, you can learn more by calling Solar Power Integrator at the office number or booking an appointment on the homepage.

When you go solar, we take care of all the permitting and inspections for you to make sure your system satisfies local jurisdiction codes. There is no need for you to do anything, but in case you are wondering about the process here’s a look!

Before applying for permits from the local government, we design the system with maximum structural and electrical integrity. This is all done in-house by our engineers to assure your system will run smoothly. There are 2 important aspects to take into consideration when identifying what permits to apply for and from whom:

• The location of your house. This is important because it will determine under whom we file permits. Certain areas require permitting jurisdiction to fall under the city you are in while other locations are determined by the county. Additionally, if you live in a homeowner’s association they might require permission for the installation, while some locations may not require any permitting at all.
• The size and type of solar installation. Commercial installations tend to require more permitting than smaller, residential installations. The type of solar installation, such as a ground mount or roof mount, could also affect what permits you will need (1). A ground-mount may require a land use review, but may not require a structural permit, whereas a roof mount does.

When applying for permits there are 4 types we apply for: windstorm, building/structural, electrical, and interconnection.

We create our own design/site plan to show exactly what the system will look like. We first send it to our windstorm engineers. If you live within a certain zone that requires your system to be windstorm certified by an engineering firm, we apply for that. The windstorm engineering firm makes sure the structural design can withstand high wind speeds. Next, we send our windstorm approved design and other details to the city or county offices, based on the jurisdiction for a building permit and electrical permit. Depending on your jurisdiction some places may not require these permits. Lastly, we apply for an Interconnection Agreement with your utility provider to give us permission to grid-tie your system. After all the permits are gathered and the installation is complete, the city, utility company, and windstorm inspectors will inspect the new system to make sure it is running smoothly. Once you have gotten permission to operate (PTO) by your utility provider, your system will be turned on.

All of these permits require time and money. Research has shown that while hard costs of solar, like equipment, have gone down. Soft costs such as permitting have gone up (2). Fortunately, the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) is currently developing a way to streamline the permitting and inspection process. Solar Automated Permit Processing (SolarAPP) is an online solar permitting for residential installations. According to The Solar Foundation, SolarAPP will (3):

Provide a flexible, web-based PV-permitting tool for residential systems at no-cost to AHJs.
Enable standardization of instant permitting processes.
Evaluate applications for safety and code compliance.
Offer opportunities to incorporate energy storage and expand to other market segments.

This app will help streamline permitting, reduce costs imposed on solar installers, and speed up the overall process. With the ongoing pandemic and more processes converting to user-friendly, automated online tools, there is hope that SolarAPP will be released sooner. It is scheduled to launch in Spring 2021 (3).

States like Colorado, California, and Massachusetts have policies in place to help make the permitting process fast and easy; however, not all states have something in place. SolarAPP will give solar installers a chance to be more efficient in the permitting process while reducing the costs for customers.

If you have any questions about solar energy and the permitting process give us a call at 361-360-1800 or call to set up your FREE energy consultation.

1. https://news.energysage.com/solar-permitting-inspections-an-overview/
2. https://www.seia.org/initiatives/local-solar-permitting
3. https://www.thesolarfoundation.org/solarapp/

We understand that when you go solar you may believe that you are committing to a long-term investment. However, this is not necessarily true. Say we install your panels on your house, but you decide to move in a couple of years. Well, we will remove your existing solar system and move it to your new home. Well, what if you don’t want to take your panels with you, but instead leave them on your current home? That can be done too!

When adding solar panels it’s as if you are adding a new appliance or renovating your home. When you remodel your kitchen or build a pool in your backyard your property value tends to go up. The same applies to solar panels! Studies have shown that solar panel installations (roof systems and ground-mounted systems) increase property value. In 2015, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that homes with solar panels sold for 3.74% higher than homes without solar panels (1). As of 2018, solar homes sold 4.1% higher than non-solar homes (2). The property value that solar adds to a home has only increased throughout the years. It should be worth noting that this increase in property value is greatest with newer solar systems. That’s simply because solar systems’ value depreciates with age as solar technologies are always improving. Additionally, the Department of Energy stated that homes with solar panels also sell 20% faster than homes without solar panels (3). Not only will your solar home sell at a higher value, but you will also get an offer faster!

Homes with solar systems sell faster and at a better rate for a couple of different reasons. As you may know, solar energy provides future energy savings. Homeowners that consume a lot of energy benefit greatly when looking at homes to purchase with solar. According to Zillow Consumer Housing Trends Report, 80% of homeowners looking to buy a house are interested in energy-efficient appliances (2). It pays to have solar on your home!

Whether you are living at your forever home or plan on moving in the future, solar is a great choice for you to save money on your energy costs! If you are paying off your solar panels through one of our financial partners, then we can work with you to transfer it over to the new homeowners.

For more details about owning your own solar system to help cut energy costs call 361-360-1800 or schedule your FREE energy consultation online!

https://www.wholesalesolar.com/blog/do-solar-panels-increase-home-value#:~:text=The%20research%20finds%20that%2C%20on,choose%20to%20sell%20their%20home.
https://www.zillow.com/research/solar-panels-house-sell-more-23798/
https://cleantechnica.com/2010/10/23/solar-homes-sold-20-faster-and-for-17-more-nrel-study-finds/
https://emp.lbl.gov/sites/default/files/lbnl-1002778.pdf

We hope you all are staying as safe and warm as you possibly can during this winter storm! You may be experiencing power outages due to the storm. ERCOT (Electric Reliability Council of Texas) reportedly required all of Texas’s grid to conserve energy by removing additional electric load. Millions of customers are therefore experiencing power outages, while ERCOT or utility companies have yet to specify when power will be restored.

For more information about how AEP is handling the power outages in your area please visit: https://www.aeptexas.com/outages/details.aspx?stormName=Texas+Winter+Storm+-+February+2021.

While you wait for your power to turn back on, here are some tips to stay warm, according to the National Weather Service:

· Close blinds and curtains to prevent losing heat

· Layer up on clothes and blankets

· Stuff towels and rags in cracks to keep out the cold

· Close doors to unused rooms to avoid wasting heat

· Eat, drink plenty of water, and move around to keep your blood flowing

Please remember to turn off your space heaters at night and do not use your ovens or stoves to heat your house up! Practice good fire safety as you light candles around the house and fireplaces!

The Outbreak

On the dawn of Covid-19, the solar decade had moments of uncertainty, but (SEIA) Solar Energy Industry Associations is preparing guidelines for new legislation to put into effect for 2021 and following years to come. The future of solar arrived with new members in Congress and the framework that will open doors to new jobs for Americans.

Since the pandemic initially surfaced on mainstream news, we began thinking ahead and implementing safeguards to avoid future threats; long-term development has become the new fundamental structure of how we execute plans of action.

Adapting To Change

The new administration is looking to reestablish the controversial climate crisis as a primary target entering 2021. Suggested research states that renewable energy alone will not stop climate change and is not the only solution to our ecological devastation. However, we can gather information regarding the supply & demand of electrical energy through its market data. The patterns signify fluctuation, but are still relatively consistent compared to the disruptions in other industries.

As for investing in energy innovation in 2020, it has been affected by the pandemic to a lesser extent. Given the contribution of innovation to “mega-trends” such as electrification and climate change, energy innovation is expected to continue to flourish in 2021.

“Solar generation is projected to increase from 11 percent of total U.S. renewable generation in 2017 to 48 percent by 2050. If the growth persists, we can bet on it being the fastest growing electricity source to date,” according to the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions.

Onward

To achieve accurate results on data trends for the solar industry, each project must have analytical records of the installments, including every sub-system hierarchy that occurs within a project. Advanced research methods will be required to push forward with additional efforts to strengthen its digital infrastructure and energy data handling. Welcome to the Tech age.

-Alessandria Elyss Fernandez

https://www.c2es.org/content/renewable-energy/

As global climate change awareness continues to grow, change in our daily activities is required if we want future generations to experience what we get to today. One significant change that can greatly benefit our environment is choosing a renewable energy source to power your home. There are a couple of different renewable energy sources to choose from; for example solar energy.

First off let’s address climate change. You may be wondering “what is climate change?”. According to NASA, “Climate change is a long-term change in the average weather patterns that have come to define Earth’s local, regional and global climates (1)”. Research has found that the earth’s climate has changed tremendously since the early 20th century due to human activities, primarily the burning of fossil fuels. The burning of fossil fuels has increased atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations which trap the heat reflecting off of Earth’s surface and thereby increases the earth’s average surface temperature, as seen in the graph below. The increase in the earth’s temperature has many consequences for our planet including, but not limited to, global land and ocean temperature increase, rising sea levels, ice loss at the poles and mountain glaciers, changes in the frequency and severity of extreme weather events, cloud and vegetation cover, ocean acidification, increased occurrence of disease, food scarcity, and large-scale loss of biodiversity (1). As these changes occur, it becomes imperative to come up with solutions.

This graph shows the increase in temperature from 1951-1980 (Credit: Climate.nasa.gov) (1)

Solar energy is one of the many solutions to help mitigate climate change. Solar energy has many environmental benefits that could help slow down global climate change. A major benefit is the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, particularly carbon dioxide (CO2) (2). Solar energy utilizes the sun’s energy to generate electricity without any harmful byproducts being emitted into our atmosphere. In addition to reducing pollutants into our atmosphere, it will also prevent health issues. By decreasing greenhouse gas pollutants, we are able to prevent $167 billion in health and environmental damages (3). Health related air pollutants such as nitrous oxides, sulfur dioxide, and other particulate matter can be decreased with solar energy. This can prevent cases of chronic bronchitis, respiratory and cardiovascular issues (2).

By switching to solar energy, you are also reducing the strain on finite resources like oil, coal and natural gas (4). These resources have an expiration date compared to solar energy which will never run out. As our population grows, our dependency on resources also grows leading to overexploitation of fossil fuels to the point where it will just be too expensive to extract. The extraction of these resources is detrimental to the environment as large amounts of pollution are released during the process. Additionally, it requires a vast amount of water. In contrast, solar energy significantly reduces the amount of environmental impacts of this extraction process compared to fossil fuels.

Lastly, solar energy also reduces water pollution and scarcity. Fossil fuels use a large amount of water in almost every step; from extraction to electrical generation. The overuse of water during the process calls for great concern of water scarcity. By switching over to solar, water consumption will drop in 36 states which would be enough to hydrate 1.3 million households (3). Additionally, because solar requires no water during generation, it reduces competition for agricultural business that heavily depends on water. Energy generated from fossil fuels also heavily pollute water, about 72% pollution comes from coal fired power plants (5). Power plants dump toxic metals into our water every day such as mercury, lead, and arsenic which has been linked to cancer, neurological disorders, and other negative environmental impacts.

Solar energy has a number of benefits to our environment and our health making it a great solution to combat global climate change. If you want to find out how you can make a difference with your very own solar system call 361-360-1800 to schedule your FREE energy consultant. We will tell you exactly how much your system will reduce your carbon footprint!

(1) https://climate.nasa.gov/resources/global-warming-vs-climate-change/

(2) https://news.energysage.com/health-environmental-benefits-of-solar-energy/

(3) https://www.energy.gov/eere/solar/downloads/environmental-and-public-health-benefits-achieving-high-penetration-solar

(4) https://www.sunvalleysolar.com/blog/top-four-ways-solar-positively-impacts-environment

(5) https://briosolarenergy.com/blog/how-solar-power-prevents-pollution/

You may be asking yourself if your roof or property is a good fit for a solar installation. Here is what our design team bases your solar system design on. Remember you don’t have to meet all of these requirements, as we will work with your roof or property to make sure that your solar system is a good match for you.

1. Orientation: You want your roof to be facing south in order to receive maximum solar radiation (since we are in the northern hemisphere). However, this is not a deal breaker and solar panels can be installed on other sides of your roof. If it is installed on any non-south facing side, it just means the percent of electricity generated from the panels will not meet its maximum.
2. Shade: This is obviously a very important requirement to meet. You want your solar panels to avoid any type of shading during the day. Being surrounded by tall trees may interfere with the solar panels. Our lead engineer would need to further investigate this before making a final decision on whether to cut the tree down or leave it. We can recommend a great company to help cut down the tree if need be.
3. Material: Whether you have shingles, tile, metal etc. we install on all types of roofs. Tile roofs may require a different type of approach, but it can be done.
4. Age: Typically, we recommend replacing your roof if it is 15 years old, but that could vary based on your roof. However, our best bet is for our lead engineer to assess your roof before making a final decision on whether you need to replace it before your installation. The solar panels last up to 35 years, so it’s important that your roof can withstand that.
5. Size and Space: The size of your roof will determine how many panels we can fit. We need to take into account obstructions such as vents that could get in the way of a solar panel. Additionally, we are required to have a setback from the edges of the roof. All of this will be taken into consideration when assessing how many panels can fit on your roof. If your roof is too small or you prefer to not have panels on your roof, we can do a ground installation.
6. Pitch: The pitch will determine what type of racking system we will use. The racking system is what holds and attaches your panels to your roof. There are a variety of different racking systems and, once again, our lead engineer will need to assess what type of system would work best on your roof.

These are the factors that our lead engineer looks at when assessing your roof during a site assessment. We want to make sure that we provide you with the best possible solar system, but remember these are NOT mandatory requirements. If you don’t meet all of these requirements, do not worry because we can still work with you and your roof!

If you have any questions or want more information about solar energy, please give us a call at 361-360-1800. To schedule your FREE energy consultation, give us a call or book here!

COVID-19 has drastically changed how we go about our everyday lives. Planes sit idly in empty airports, shipping has been reduced due to border closures, and streets with no traffic in sight have brought forth great change since the pandemic. On the other hand, it has also brought positive change to our environment.

As we sit at home reducing our time spent driving, traveling , and shipping and manufacturing goods we have significantly reduced pollution. Currently, NOAA scientists are studying changes in the atmosphere, weather, climate and precipitation over the past months. They have gathered air samples from cities and studied pollution rates while also assessing impacts of reduced underwater noise on marine life (1). Craig McLean, assistant NOAA administrator for Oceanic and Atmospheric Research stated, “This research is providing new insight into the drivers of change for our oceans, atmosphere, air quality, and weather.”

Throughout history, spread of disease or global crises has caused lower emissions such as CO2. For example, the 2008-2009 financial crash caused a dip in emissions of 1.3%. Julia Pongratz, professor at The University of Munich, Germany stated, “There are hints that coronavirus will act the same way. For example, the demand for oil products, steel and other metals has fallen more than other outputs. But there are record-high stockpiles, so production will quickly pick up.” However, Glen Peters from the Center for International Climate and Environmental Research in Oslo noted that, “Overall 2020 may still see a drop in global emissions of 0.3%.” This could bring hope in a slight reduction of emissions that we so desperately need. It has been seen before that times of change could lead to new lasting habits.

The European Space Agency (ESA) gathered satellite date from the Copernicus Sentinel-5P satellite to observe the changes in nitrogen dioxide over northern Italy. They found that there was a decrease in nitrogen dioxide due to strict quarantine measures (2). Nitrogen dioxide is mainly contributed from cars, trucks, power plants and industrial plants.

Take a look at the video below to see the changes:

On the other hand, COVID-19 has caused negative impacts on our environment. In a less evident way, COVID has postponed major events such as the biggest environmental event of the year, COP26. This event will be held in November to discuss current climate issues and solutions with 30,000 delegates from around the world. Due to COVID we are now unsure if or how this event will take place (3).

With this insight, what does it mean for the future of our planet? Will people begin to change their ways and think more consciously about not only keeping themselves safe and clean, but the environment too? Could “cabin fever” as a result of self-isolation cause people to travel more? Or will we power up our gas guzzling vehicles and create even greater environmental problems?

One thing is for sure, COVID has taught us the urgency of taking action when humanity is threatened. This sense of urgency could be directed toward climate change bringing forth greater changes. We are clearly capable of change if the threat is great enough, but when will climate change be viewed as a big enough threat?

(1) https://research.noaa.gov/article/ArtMID/587/ArticleID/2617/NOAA-exploring-impact-of-coronavirus-response-on-the-environment

(2) https://www.sciencealert.com/here-s-what-covid-19-is-doing-to-our-pollution-levels

(3) https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200326-covid-19-the-impact-of-coronavirus-on-the-environment