Overview

Back in March 2023, Duke Energy North Carolina approved changes in their net metering policy that came into full effect on October 1, 2023. Now that the day has come, new solar energy customers will receive with time-of-use rates rather than the 1:1 net metering rate that was previously in place. We know what these changes mean for new customers, but let’s dive into what Duke Energy’s changes mean for older solar systems. 

Impact For Older Systems

Customers who previously invested in solar energy for the home are included in the 1:1 legacy net metering program. With 1:1 net metering, customers receive an equal credit for each kWh (kilowatt-hour) that is sent back to the grid. For example, a customer who needs to pay $150 worth of energy costs can use $100 worth of their credits that they earned so they only have to pay $50 out of pocket for that month. These credits can only be applied to customers’ Duke Energy bills. Legacy net metering will allow customers to roll over credits month to month for 1 calendar year at a time until 2027.

In total, the legacy net metering program will be in place for older customers for 15 years since the date of their installation. Once the 15 years pass, customers will transition into a modified “Bridge Rate” net metering program. This net metering program will still give customers a 1:1 rate for the energy sent back to the grid, but credits can not be rolled over into future months like before. 

Conclusion

Homeowners who invested in solar energy before October 1st, 2023 are locked in to a very attractive net metering program for solar. With 1:1 net metering, customers aren’t being charged a premium for energy being used at peak hours like time-of-use customers will face. These customers can have comfort knowing that they are getting the most savings out of their systems. 

System Specs

Hurricane Idalia’s Latest Path

Around 8 a.m Wednesday morning, Hurricane Idalia made landfall in Florida as a Category 3 hurricane bringing 120 mph winds capable of taking down trees and power lines. Tampa, Fort Myers, Naples, and Homosassa Springs are experiencing flooding. Streets on the Gulf side of Florida are flooded, and over 160,000 customers were left without power. As of now, Idalia is making its way through Savannah, Georgia bringing storm surges up to 11 feet, more destructive winds, and inland flash flooding. Idalia will make its way into Charleston, South Carolina later on tonight, and finish up tomorrow morning in the Outer Banks of North Carolina bringing heavy rain before going out to the coast. Living in the south east means that we expect these storms on an annual basis. Why not prepare for power outages from these hurricanes with energy storage units? Owners of a solar energy system can produce excess energy that gets stored in energy storage units so their homes are prepared from grid outages.

Hurricane Energy Storage: Ready for Idalia with Advanced Energy Solutions

Renu Energy Solutions is at the forefront of providing hurricane-ready energy storage solutions. Our offerings, such as the Tesla Powerwalls, Enphase IQ Batteries, LG ESS Home 8, and FranklinWH Batteries, cater to both solar energy users and those without solar systems.

Why Opt For Hurricane Energy Storage?

The primary benefit is resilience. By harnessing the sun’s energy, homeowners can charge these energy storage systems without relying on the grid. This ensures uninterrupted power, especially during unpredictable hurricane-induced outages. Furthermore, even households without a solar energy setup can harness the power of these cutting-edge energy storage solutions.

Investing in our energy storage solutions, like the popular Tesla Powerwall, means ensuring your home remains powered during critical times. Unique features such as the ‘Storm Mode’ in the Powerwall app allow users to activate ‘Backup Reserve’, optimizing the battery’s stored energy during storms. Likewise, Enphase, LG, and FranklinWH offer intuitive apps for their energy storage systems, granting users flexible configurations tailored for severe weather scenarios.

Stay powered, stay safe, and be hurricane-ready with Renu Energy Solutions.

Conclusion

Preparing for Hurricane’s like Idalia is easy when a customer invests in an energy storage unit. Those who invest in a home solar energy system with energy storage units will not only be able to keep their power on during the initial outage, but also continue to charge the energy storage units via solar production from their system. For customers who experience power outages not only during hurricane season, but also year round, investing in solar energy with energy storage is a no-brainer.

System Monitoring: It’s Necessary! 

System monitoring is crucial for understanding and maximizing the production of your solar energy system. By monitoring your system, you gain valuable information about the output of your solar panels, panel performance throughout different seasons, hardware defects, and energy consumption. This information helps you identify and troubleshoot any issues with your system, as well as determine the most productive hours of the day.

Intro To Inverters

To begin monitoring your solar energy system, it’s important to familiarize yourself with your system’s inverter. The inverter plays a key role in converting the direct current (DC) energy generated by the sun into alternating current (AC) energy that can be used in your home. Additionally, inverters track panel health and can indicate if any panels require maintenance due to substandard production.

There are several reputable inverter manufacturers in the market, such as Enphase, SolarEdge, and Tesla. Each of these manufacturers provides their own monitoring app: the Enphase Installer Portal, mySolarEdge app, and Tesla app, respectively. These apps allow you to access real-time data about your system’s performance, including energy production, panel health, and maintenance alerts

Energy Optimization Strategies

By closely monitoring your energy usage, you can identify the peak hours of production and the periods when your appliances consume the most energy. This information is especially useful if you have an electric vehicle charger connected to the internet. With system monitoring software, you can determine the peak energy hours and schedule your vehicle to charge during those times, maximizing the use of solar energy.

Another benefit of system monitoring is the ability to optimize your energy usage and combat your utility company’s Time-Of-Use (TOU) billing policy. TOU billing charges higher rates for electricity during the most popular hours of the day, typically in the afternoon and evening. By knowing these expensive hours, you can strategically plan to charge your electric vehicle and energy storage units during the cheapest hours, reducing your overall electricity costs.

Maintaining Your Solar Investment 

Regularly checking your solar system’s monitoring data allows you to maintain your investment effectively. Pay attention to module health and energy production history. If you notice that some panels are underperforming or your system is not producing as much energy as expected, it may be time for maintenance. Our friends at Sun Service Specialists can help troubleshoot any issues with your solar energy system and provide appropriate solutions to ensure optimal performance.

In summary, system monitoring provides valuable insights into your solar energy system’s production, panel health, and energy consumption. By understanding your system’s monitoring data, you can optimize energy usage, reduce costs, and maintain the performance of your solar investment.

Tesla Powerwall 2

Everyone knows what it feels like to lose power. Lights start flickering and suddenly that show you were on the edge of your seat watching goes blank. Then, you go into panic mode wondering how long the outage will last and how long you will be without essential appliances like refrigerators, air conditioning, internet and medical equipment. Power outages can become a worry of the past with a Tesla Powerwall battery. When paired with a solar energy system, the Tesla Powerwall stores any unused energy the solar system produces so your home has the necessary power on standby in the case of an outage. 

The Tesla Powerwall 2 stores AC energy from solar energy systems that can be used for self-consumption, time-based control, and backup during storms. Customers who are interested in managing how their energy is used can set times for the powerwall to supply key appliances like refrigerators, microwaves, electric stoves and ovens. Tesla vehicle owners can even pair a Wall Connector with a Powerwall to use as the main bank for at home electric vehicle charging. 

$500 Rebate Per Powerwall

Customers who purchase and register a Tesla Powerwall from June 15th until October 31st will be able to take advantage of a $500 rebate per Powerwall. Owners of a new Tesla Powerwall can redeem this rebate in the Tesla App starting on August 1st and ending November 30th. Since Summer is here, now is a better time than ever to invest in a Tesla Powerwall. Whether you are interested in a solar energy system or want to add energy storage to your solar system, you will be able to take advantage of this $500 rebate for a limited time.

*The Tesla Powerwall Rebate can only be received if a Tesla Powerwall is installed and registered by Tesla by October 1st, 2023.

Take Advantage Now With Renu!

As the most tenured and largest Tesla Powerwall Certified Installer in the Carolinas, Renu Energy Solutions has a team of licensed electricians in North Carolina and South Carolina that can deliver and install your Tesla Powerwall. We are confident in providing you with the best energy storage installation so your home is prepared to not have any power outages.

Interested in a solar and energy storage system? Let Renu Energy Solutions be your installer, our team of solar experts can help design and install the perfect solar energy system to fit your needs. Investing in solar now is another great way to take advantage of Tesla’s $500 Powerwall rebate. Tesla Powerwalls included in solar installations are valid through the current rebate. To learn more about solar energy for your home, click here!

North Carolina-based Renu Energy Solutions installed the rooftop solar system. The panels are estimated to generate close to 485,000 kWh of on-site, carbon-free electricity in the first year. North Carolinaranks fourth nationally in total solar installed capacity, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) tabulations. The Truliant operations center rooftop installation is the first such solar project at Hanes Mall. The credit union also has installed a building management and energy efficiency series of upgrades, including LED lighting for interiors and parking lots, as well as HVAC (heating, ventilation and cooling) improvements.

To continue reading more about Renu Energy Solutions’ Truliant Project, read the EnergyTech article here!