Home energy storage systems are becoming increasingly popular in the US. In fact, solar installers say that one-third of customers nationwide express interest in energy storage, while on EnergySage’s Marketplace that number is even higher, with over 70 percent of solar shoppers also interested in energy storage.
Continue reading
The energy storage industry is always evolving, generating new and improved battery options for homeowners each day. For an example of this, look no further than Electriq Power – this California-based energy storage company just released a new product called the PowerPod 2 that comes with some impressive upgrades to their original PowerPod product, such as lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry and improved storage duration. We recently sat down with Electriq to learn more about their newest offering, and what’s coming up next:
Continue reading
If you live in Northern California, you’ve likely been impacted by electric power shut-offs or outages from Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) over the last couple of years. As wildfires become increasingly prevalent in the state, and as the link between utility infrastructure–like transmission lines–and wildfires becomes increasingly clear, that trend is set to continue for the foreseeable future. With that in mind, we wanted to take a step back and look at PG&E outages: why are they occurring, what does the past timeline of outages look like, and what can you expect moving forward.
Continue reading
Electriq Power is a San Leandro, California-based energy storage company that designs and engineers its storage systems in the United States. Electriq’s original product, the PowerPod 1, includes a battery, hybrid battery/solar inverter, home energy management system, and an energy meter. Their newest product, the PowerPod 2, has a different chemistry and upgraded technical specifications that build on their already impressive storage system.
Continue reading
People who invest in solar are inherently forward-looking: solar panels last for 25 years or more, producing clean energy for decades to come. For people who are considering a new solar–or solar plus storage–installation today, it’s worth thinking about more than just what solar panels to install on your property. There are a few specific ways that you can set up your solar panel system now so that it’s future-proofed for anything else you might want or purchase over the next three decades.
Continue reading
Are you a customer of San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E)? Whether you currently have solar panels on your roof, are considering solar, or don’t have any plans to generate your own electricity, SDG&E’s time-of-use (TOU) rates will have an impact on your monthly electricity costs. In the past, all SDG&E customers had the option of switching to TOU rates or remaining on their existing rate schedule. However, this began to change in early 2019 when SDG&E began the process of moving all residential customers (with a few exceptions) to a TOU plan. When it comes to choosing the right rate plan for your property, the best option for your home depends on your electricity use habits.
Continue reading
Battery maker sonnen’s “luxury” battery offering – the ecoLinx – is more than just an energy storage device: the ecoLinx syncs your entire property’s energy usage together to efficiently and intelligently manage how you use energy in your home, all without disrupting your lifestyle. Especially when combined with a solar energy system, the sonnen ecoLinx is a powerful and smart home energy management system. (Note: check out our review of sonnen’s other primary product line–the eco–here.)
Continue reading
Q CELLS is a popular solar panel manufacturer based out of Seoul, South Korea. Like many other solar panel companies, Q CELLS recently decided to expand their business into the energy storage space. Their new product, the Q.HOME ESS HYB-G1, is a modular energy storage solution that can help keep your lights on during power outages.
Continue reading
As you compare options for energy storage systems, there are a few key technical specifications to focus on and questions to answer. How much energy can the battery store? How much of your home can the battery power, and for how long? Can the battery keep powering some or all of your home if the grid is down? And can your battery provide a momentary burst of power large enough to start up your largest appliances, like your air conditioner?
Continue reading
Thanks to resiliency and economic benefits, many homeowners throughout the country are considering installing energy storage systems. But with this increased demand comes an increase in products available in the market, making it harder to determine the best battery solution for you and your home.
Continue reading
