https://www.seattletimes.com/business/solar-energy-storage-gets-a-boost-during-californias-wildfires/
"The solar-plus-storage movement figures to get another boost on Jan. 1. That’s when a new rule passed by the California Energy Commission requires every new home constructed in the state be equipped with solar panels."
As a home battery owner, I know once the panels are in, that it makes sense to add a home battery to shift the energy collected at midday peak to the evening when the family needs to use it = big demand for home storage ahead. Makes sense for any non-urban area too, to be self reliant...
Solar-energy storage gets a boost during California’s wildfires
By The San Diego Union-Tribune
Widespread power shutoffs across the Golden State during peak wildfire season have spurred demand for what’s called “solar-plus-storage” as a way for customers to keep their lights on.
“Calling it an ‘uptick’ would be an understatement,” said Barry Cinnamon, CEO of Cinnamon Energy Systems, a Silicon Valley-based solar company. Cinnamon said the level of inquiries has more than doubled and his company “had just about the best month ever” in its seven-year history.
“There’s a lot of people who said, ‘I’ve been hesitant to put in solar and now I want to put in solar and a battery, too.’ And there’s a lot of people who have existing systems … but now they want to add a battery.”
California leads the nation in the number of rooftop solar installations, thanks to abundant sunshine and aggressive programs passed by state policymakers. But while solar panels can provide electricity when the grid is running, customers need battery storage systems to allow their residences to power themselves, at least for a time, when the lines are closed.
And that happened multiple times last month when investor-owned utilities deployed what is called “Public Safety Power Shutoffs” as high winds and weather conditions increased the risk of power equipment (such as fallen power lines) igniting a wildfire. Pacific Gas & Electric in recent weeks de-energized lines for more than 2 million people in its service territory in Northern and Central California.
Solar panel company Sunrun out of San Francisco reported one-quarter of its California customers are opting to add batteries to their existing systems.
Solar-plus-storage can also save customers money as San Diego Gas & Electric and the state’s two other investor-owned utilities transition, via mandate from the California Public Utilities Commission, to time-of-use rates. Under time-of-use, customers pay more for electricity during the peak hours of 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. when the grid is under more stress.
An installation’s battery can absorb solar energy when time-of-use rates are low and sunshine is plentiful. Then, when the 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. period comes, the battery can be activated so the customer doesn’t have to use the high-priced electricity charged by the power company.
“When you run the economics on that, customers may be able to save $1,000 or more a year because they’re offsetting that really expensive afternoon and evening electricity,” Cinnamon said.
The solar-plus-storage movement figures to get another boost on Jan. 1. That’s when a new rule passed by the California Energy Commission requires every new home constructed in the state be equipped with solar panels.
“That’s going to be the standard for the state,” said commission chair David Hochschild, who spoke last week at the Energy Storage North America conference and expo in San Diego. “The ability to produce power from your rooftop is going to be the home of the future and it’s not that much more difficult if you want to add on storage.”
But given the expense, there is concern that people who can’t afford storage will buy polluting generators or not buy any power backup at all.
