By Kelcy Pegler Jr., Solar Power World Contributor
Kelcy Pegler Jr., Co-Founder/CEO Roof Diagnostics Solar
In the aftermath of major storms like Hurricane Sandy that left hundreds of thousands of homeowners without power, we are seeing a growing demand from homeowners to have more energy reliability when the grid goes down. Ironically, even homeowners who had their own energy plants in the form of solar panels were not able to access that power because of the way solar energy systems are integrated into the grid.
The combination of powerful storms along with an aging grid infrastructure has prompted many to seek out backup generation to avoid the increasingly common reality of sitting in the dark for weeks until the power comes back. After Sandy, more and more homeowners who sat in the dark for days and even weeks looked for backup energy solutions. Many rushed out to purchase smaller backup generators, which are an easy and affordable way to procure immediate type of backup power. However, these types of generators are not the most efficient option for back-up power and certainly not the cleanest.
As a residential solar installation company, we regularly hear directly from homeowners that they want to become more energy efficient and self-reliant. Fluctuating and uncertain energy costs are the main reasons that homeowners look to rooftop solar to lock in long term savings with a clean solution. Financing options like PPAs and third party leases allow homeowners to install a system for little to no money down. This option often allows consumers to lock-in a long term rate for their energy, relieving them of price volatility and allowing them to take some pride in the fact that they are being green.
But now homeowners are beginning to look beyond these benefits. After installing rooftop panels, we often see consumers looking for the next step they can take to increase their self-reliance. An increasingly popular option is a new generation of backup generator that would include smart technology that allows them to run on a device like an iPhone. These new home backup generators would connect directly to your natural gas line and automatically turn on during any type of power loss including when solar power goes out at night or when the grid goes down.
Another hot topic in solar right now is the future of storage technology that could dramatically impact the renewable energy industry as well as the overall energy production industry. As storage technology improves in terms of cost and efficiency, we are likely to see more widespread adoption. Residential solar, in particular, could see a huge impact as efficient storage systems can be installed alongside rooftop solar systems allowing homeowners to become increasingly energy independent. For now, residential storage seems to be more focused on the ability to extend the current capacity of existing systems.
As storage technology and backup generation technology rapidly become an efficient and affordable option, it’s exciting to think about the effects it might have in the next five to ten years. The one thing that we can be sure of is that homeowners will continue to have many more options to meet their energy needs including increased energy reliability.
Kelcy Pegler Jr. is co-founder and CEO of Roof Diagnostics Solar (RDS), an NRG company, and an industry leading residential solar sales and installation company, as well as one of Solar Power World’s Top 250 Solar Contractors. With more than 400 employees in New Jersey, Massachusetts and New York, RDS has helped bring cost-competitive clean energy to more than 5,000 homeowners. You can see other posts from the Roof Diagnostics Solar at their blog here.
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