Ian’s Impact and Trajectory

As Hurricane Ian made impact with Florida’s west coast, this tropical storm has crossed the entire state bringing flooding and destruction along with it. Cities like Naples, Sarasota, Orlando, and Daytona Beach have been slammed with winds up to 150mph. Ian’s impact has left streets flooded, severely damaged homes, and left 2.5 million people trapped without power. NBC’s live tracker shows Hurricane Ian is making a left curve to the coast and will pass directly through the Carolinas. Now is an important time for Homeowners to prepare for Ian’s impact. While we aren’t expecting winds up to 150mph, residents of the Carolinas should expect winds up to 40mph-70mph. Besides stocking up on food, water, and cooking everything in their fridge that could perish, PV solar system and energy storage unit owners should optimize their systems so their energy can last through potential outages.

Preparing with Tesla Powerwall

Tesla Powerwall customers that have been storing energy from their PV solar systems probably won’t even know there is a power outage as the Powerwall has a microgrid that acts as the main grid when the utility grid shuts down. While Tesla’s Powerwall does a great job of taking over, the customer has control of how that energy gets used. In the Tesla App, customers can choose to put their Powerwall in ‘Storm Mode’ which activates Backup Reserve. Backup Reserve will then use a percentage of power that’s available in the Powerwall. 

To change the Powerwall’s mode and configure its back up energy percentage, tap on the ‘Settings’ tab with the cogwheel icon on the left. Next, a slider for backup reserve will appear where you can choose your system’s percentage. Tesla recommends 20% for backup purposes. Below the slider, customers can choose their mode with the button provided.

Preparing with Generac PWRcell

Generac PWRcell customers that store energy from their PV solar systems can expect their back up power to be activated as well during a grid outage. Once the grid shuts down, PWRcell Battery Storage System will send the stored energy to the grid so customer’s essential utilities will be powered. The Generac PWRview app allows for customers to track their energy usage. Along with energy tracking, customers can prepare for a storm by using the app’s ‘Outage Guard’ feature. This feature can be enabled in the ‘Settings’ section of the app. Once Outage Guard is enabled, a customer’s PWRcell will be prompted to charge to its fullest capacity so essential utilities can stay on.

Preparing with Enphase Energy Storage

Enphase energy storage customers must be paired to a PV solar system, which means power is constantly being stored as long as that solar system is powered on. The Enphase App shows extensive energy tracking as it shows how much power is being produced in each panel, energy trends based on a home’s usage, and energy storage backup history. In the ‘Settings’ section of the app, users can click ‘Battery Settings’ to find a mode called ‘Storm Guard’. With Storm Guard enabled, customers’ energy storage units will be put into Full Backup mode. Full Backup mode becomes available when weather alerts in a customer’s region are sent out.

Closing Thoughts

Hurricanes leave millions without power for extended periods of time each year, and Hurricane Ian is no different. Besides storing food and staying indoors during the storm, the best way for people to prepare for hurricanes like these is by investing in energy storage. Times like these are when energy storage customers see their investments pay off.

What’s With The Increase?

Duke Energy customers across western and central North Carolina should be prepared for their rates to increase. With high fuel costs and new renewable energy incentives being introduced, more customers are taking advantage of financial perks that come with using an electric vehicle.

When Does This Increase Kick Into Effect?

On September 1st, 2022 , Duke Energy customers’ rates will be increased by 9.5%. Some of the cities where this rate increase will take place are Charlotte, Winston-Salem, Greensboro, and Durham. Assuming the average Duke Energy customer utilizes 1,000 kilowatt hours a month, this kind of customer would see an additional $10.10 added on to their utility bill.

Which Areas Aren’t Affected (Yet)?

North Carolina residents living in Raleigh, Asheville, and eastern North Carolina aren’t affected by this rate increase. These areas utilize Duke’s other utility company, Duke Energy Progress. Duke Energy Progress may have their rate increased to 9.8% on Dec 1st, 2022 if the utilities commission decides to implement an increase.  

In Conclusion

Increased gas prices have encouraged people to explore more renewable energy alternatives in their lives. With this increase in renewable energy use, utility companies like Duke need to increase their rates so they can prepare for customers to transition to utilizing renewable energy. Installing a PV solar system for your home or business could be a great way to start. If a customer already has a PV solar system, they can add components like EV chargers and power storage units to maximize their sustainable energy.

Inflation Reduction Act of 2022

As solar loans and costs for system components are expected to increase, The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 states that the tax credit for solar systems will begin at 30% until 2033. This bill will allocate $370 billion towards renewable energy and climate measures.

What This Means For Solar Energy

In regards to the solar industry, the federal tax credit for customers installing a PV solar system to their home or business will now be 30% as opposed to the previous percentage being 26%. This 4% increase will allow for customers to receive more money back when they purchase a solar system using cash or a solar loan. The 30% tax credit will be applied to installs on both homes and businesses. Customers who installed a solar system from the beginning of  2022 will also receive a 30% tax credit on their installation. Energy storage units that were installed from the beginning of 2022 will be eligible for the 30% tax credit, even if those energy storage units aren’t paired with a PV solar system.

According to the government, this credit will allow for 7.5 million more solar installations for families since families are able to save more on energy than ever before. In fact, families who install PV solar systems on their home can expect to save $9,000 during the lifespan of their system, which equates to $300 a year. Besides only using solar systems, government data states families who utilize clean energy, practice energy efficiency, and use electric vehicles can expect yearly savings of over $1000.

Additional Incentives

Depending on the project, additional “adders” may be added to the tax credit to potentially increase the credit to up to 50%. Some of these adders include factors such as domestic product use, type of organization, and project location. 

Certain developers may be entitled to a “direct pay” provision. To qualify, a developer needs to have little to no tax liability. Developers may then be able to treat the credit as an overpayment of tax. In result, developers can receive a cash refund based on the overpayment. (Probably for commercial purposes)

In Conclusion

With the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 being passed, the solar industry will have a huge opportunity for demand. Not only will numbers of installations increase, but more jobs and carbon offset could be produced as well as solar energy is on its way to become more rewarding and affordable than ever before.

Summer In The South

Anyone who lives in the south east knows what Summertime means. Months of warm weather, beach trips, and outdoor events are on the horizon for us to enjoy. With these months comes humidity, rain, and frequent storms that can leave your home or business without power. For many homeowners and business owners, they have to wait until their local energy utility company provides service to bring power back on. The combination of PV solar systems and energy storage units make for a building that can persevere through storms, even when other buildings nearby can’t.

Map of State in USA. Detail from the World Map.

PV Solar Systems

PV Solar Systems have a multitude of perks. These solar systems not only save you money down the road, but they also produce carbon offset since solar energy is a renewable resource. Along with saving money and the environment, utilizing a PV solar system gains you independence from energy providers because the energy is provided by your solar system. In the case of an outage due to inclement weather, your PV solar system will be shut off to protect the utility grid. Shutting down the utility grid protects the electricians from receiving electricity while working on the utility grid. With that being said, the only true way to keep your home powered with solar when storms roll in is by pairing your system with an energy storage unit.

Energy Storage

With an energy storage unit, your building’s power security increases along with energy independence. When energy storage units are paired with a PV solar system, excess energy that doesn’t get utilized is stored in the unit for when it’s needed most. Instead of having the energy from your system’s inverter going to your building’s main grid, a backup grip from your energy storage unit comes online to power your home. This process happens so quickly that you won’t even know you lost power! Customers may even pair multiple energy storage units to their solar system, allowing them to increase storage capacity to their liking. Energy storage units are the most proactive approach a solar customer can take when preparing for storms and hurricanes.

In Conclusion 

If you’ve lived a summer in the south, you know exactly what hurricane season means. Damages and flooding are common results from these severe storms, and they often leave many buildings without power for up to days or weeks at a time. Rooms are hot, candles need to be lit, and that fridge full of fresh produce needs to be tossed! Investing in a PV solar system with the addition of an energy storage unit is arguably the most proactive approach you can take to prepare for the upcoming hurricane season. Click the link here to learn more about pairing an energy storage unit with a PV solar system.