Experiencing a power outage is more than an inconvenience. It can be life-threatening and lead to hundreds or even thousands of dollars in losses.
Unfortunately, research out of Texas A&M discovered that the country is shockingly vulnerable to grid outages — and some states are more at risk than others.
What’s happening?
EnergySage spotlighted Texas A&M’s report in a recent article examining how installing solar panels with battery storage can give homeowners a leg up during grid outages on households without a backup power source or those dependent on gasoline generators.
As an independent, objective expert in the nuances of the rooftop solar industry, EnergySage offers free tools for consumers to obtain easy-to-compare solar installation quotes.
Texas A&M’s findings reveal why an increasing number of homeowners are preparing for weather-induced grid outages with the assistance of EnergySage.
The university reported that power outages have risen by 20% since 2019. Texas, California, and Louisiana, respectively, accounted for the most major power outages between 2000 and 2023, according to a Power System Vulnerability Index created using over 179 million data points.
Why is this important?
As EnergySage explains, power outages aren’t just dangerous for people who rely on medical equipment needing refrigeration or electricity. During an outage, the average family loses $200 in groceries because of spoilage, and they may need to shell out upward of $25,000 on hotel stays, damaged electronics, and other repairs in the event of water-related property damage.
Dr. Ali Mostafavi, the director of the Urban Resilience AI Lab that used machine learning to develop the vulnerability index, said in the Texas A&M release that the grid failure situation was more dire than they originally suspected.
“We knew that the state of power system vulnerability nationwide is exacerbating. But the magnitude of that was shocking, and greater than we hypothesized,” Dr. Mostafavi said.
What can be done about this?
Installing solar panels and pairing them with battery storage won’t only boost your family’s ability to manage whatever climate-related event comes its way.
Along with upgrading to energy-efficient technology, solar and battery storage will also help you significantly reduce your energy bills while slashing dirty fuel-produced heat-trapping pollution responsible for warming the climate and subsequently supercharging extreme weather.
Whether used for everyday power or as a backup energy source, solar panels also improve comfort and peace of mind because they’re quieter than gas generators and don’t introduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
On average, EnergySage‘s free services save homeowners $10,000 on solar installations. Now is also the time to connect with EnergySage to maximize your savings, as solar projects must be underway by Dec. 31 to qualify for federal tax incentives. Its state-by-state mapping tool can help you discover which area-specific savings may also be available.
If you’re ready to level up further, you may want to consider making a heat pump your heating and cooling technology of choice. EnergySage can connect you with trusted installers who can answer your questions and help you find the right heat pump for your home at an affordable price.
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