Weather events are leaving more people without power. Discover the top solutions for keeping your power on and your mind at ease.
Intense winter storms have exposed the shortcomings of utilities throughout the United States. Millions have been left without water or power due to these storms.* Now, any freezing forecasts with ice and snow raise questions about whether there’s a better way to power our homes.
While backup energy solutions can be hard to come by during a storm or other emergency, preparing now will leave you ready when the next power outage comes.
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Your Resiliency Options at Home
Weather catastrophes are becoming increasingly common from coast to coast. In fact, our changing climate has driven a fivefold increase in the number of weather-related disasters over the past 50 years, according to a report by the World Meteorological Organization.*
By producing your own solar power, storing it for later use, and investing in emergency preparedness, you can protect your home and your family against our changing climate.
During winter storms, it’s crucial to sustain your home’s power in order to keep your heat and appliances running. Whether you opt for solar-plus-battery storage or a standby generator, we at Sunnova want to make sure you’re protected against the next winter storm.
Create and Store Your Own Power with Solar + Battery Backup
While standby generators offer emergency solutions to power outages, solar with battery backup provides grid-free energy around the clock. When you install solar electric panels on your rooftop, you’re creating your own clean energy – but this power can only be used at the same time it’s generated.
During a blackout, your home solar system will automatically turn off. Utilities implement this safety measure to prevent solar energy from flowing through the power grid while repair crews fix downed power lines or other storm-related issues. Therefore, your panels won’t work during an outage, so without battery backup in place, your home won’t have power.
Enter: solar battery storage. Today, solar backup power utilizes lithium-ion batteries. With efficiencies between 90-95%, and a lifespan of about 10 years (or 10,000 cycles), the best solar batteries of 2022 can store more power and require less maintenance than their lead predecessors.*
When your home solar system is connected to battery backup, your solar panels will automatically send excess energy to the battery for later use. During extended power outages, your most-needed lights and appliances will be powered by your solar battery — even on dark and stormy days — providing some amount of sunlight reaches your panels.*
If you live in a climate where winter days are full of rain, snow, or bitter cold, you may wonder how your solar panels will perform in the winter. We have good news: Solar electric panels are designed to withstand harsh winter conditions. They’ve been tested time and time again by researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Regional Test Centers.*
When the grid goes down in the middle of winter, and you have solar + battery backup, you’ll also have peace of mind knowing that your home will still run on sustainable, reliable solar power.
Standby Generators: Last-Resort Power for Emergencies
A standby generator is long-lasting backup power option that is separate from a home solar system or the electrical power grid. It uses a power source that already exists for your home, typically natural gas or connected propane source. It is a permanent generator that is installed outside your home and can’t be moved. It is typically housed outside in a durable metal casing, much like an air conditioning unit. It is wired directly into your home electric panel and will automatically turn on and off if your power goes out.
This standby generator should not be confused with a portable home generator, which often relies on gasoline (which may be scarce during a disaster) or even small solar panels to produce a very limited amount of power.
Sunnova is Here for You
At Sunnova, we’re working on integrating standby generators, solar + battery storage and demand energy management to create a type of “nanogrid” that keeps your home functioning independent of the grid. These solutions will soon offer homeowners greater climate resiliency during power outages – especially extended outages.
Enjoy the freedom to live life uninterrupted® – contact our team today and learn how to improve your climate resilience, and peace of mind.
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““There's no reason to sit in your house and wonder when the utility is going to shut off the power or when the power lines are going to go down. Frankly, that’s a bit archaic.””
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John Berger, Sunnova CEO
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