November 10, 2022
Wintertime power blackouts are becoming more common in Northern California. Several different factors can lead to these outages. They happen when:
- Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) enacts a Public Safety Power Shutoff to prevent wildfires,
- Wildfires disrupt service,
- Extreme weather events, such as Santa Ana windstorms, take down power lines, or
- Natural disasters, such as earthquakes, knock out the power grid.
As power cuts become more common, SolarCraft can help you find solutions to keep your household running with reliable, clean energy. During an outage, you can keep the lights on, save your food, safeguard your family, and secure your home by relying on a solar panel system that includes a backup battery.
Why add a battery?
A solar panel system will power your home when the local power utility grid is functional, but how can you keep your lights on when disaster strikes? Homes powered by PG&E's grid are out of luck. However, solar-powered homes with backup batteries can use their stored energy during power outages.
At SolarCraft, we help solar-powered California homeowners get ready for wildfire season, weather events, and natural disasters by pairing solar panel systems with backup batteries. We can help you find the best way to keep your loved ones safe when the power goes out.
During a wildfire, does solar work?
While any power outage is concerning, outages due to wildfires are, unfortunately, a common threat. Especially in Napa and Sonoma counties, where massive wildfires and the accompanying power outages keep happening over and over, year after year.
Many customers wonder if solar panels can generate power under smoke-filled skies that are raining ash. In the case of a buildup of smoke and ash on your panels, the panels will still take in the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays and generate power. When you combine your solar panel system with a battery backup system, the batteries will store that power until you need it.
Can I wait it out?
A power outage takes a lot away from you and your family. You'll find yourself with no lights, disrupted communications, dormant medical devices, no way to prepare meals, and food going bad in your fridge. You could take your chances and do your best to make it through the blackout unscathed, but what about your loved ones? How can you protect them?
Investing in a battery backup system will carry you through such misfortunes. On top of that, you'll benefit from solar + backup battery all year long. A solar battery backup can keep your home lit during a power outage caused by a wildfire, storm, or natural disaster. It can also buffer you from rising electricity rates.
When the lights come back
Any time the public power grid goes down in Northern California, energy provider PG&E has a lot of work to do to turn the lights back on. The cost of sending out repair people and the supplies needed to fix the problem adds up. Who pays for that?
So far, we haven't even touched on what happens when the power goes out because a wildfire took the grid down and it turns out that PG&E's faulty equipment started the fire. PG&E has been responsible for more than 30 California wildfires since 2017. After the fires are out and power is restored, lawsuits, settlements, and payouts follow.
PG&E shells out tens of millions of dollars to compensate for the damage they've done. But guess who pays for PG&E's negligence? Us. The energy provider passes those expenses on to consumers through rate hikes. Fortunately, you can say no to those rate hikes by investing in a solar energy system with a backup battery.
Are you ready for widespread power blackouts in Northern California? At SolarCraft, we're dedicated to helping California homeowners prepare for future power emergencies and avoid paying inflated electricity bills. Our solar energy experts can show you a wide range of solar solutions and help you find the best one for you. Contact us today to get a free quote!
