Connecticut has recently passed a bill that dismantles solar net metering–a move which has caused huge upset with the state’s solar customers. For now, those customers that already have solar are grandfathered into net metering through 2039. However, as our representatives fight for common-sense climate legislation, we in the solar industry are left to wonder: what is next? What can serve as a proper replacement incentive to go solar, and how can existing solar homeowners protect themselves from future changes to net metering?

We sat down with Parker and Rob from Sonnen–producers of home energy storage systems–to discuss how solar + storage could be the solution that Connecticut solar-powered residents are looking for when the future of net metering is unsure.

Benefits

Storing Energy from Low-Usage, High-Production Times of Day

Think of the typical work day. You leave the house at 9AM, and come home after 5PM. Your home is empty during peak production hours, so what is happening to all of that energy? With net metering, we used to have the benefit of those hours of production shedding off of our utility bills, but no longer. That energy will go back into the grid without any reward for your system’s efforts.

With solar + storage, your battery will store this unused energy for use during low-production hours instead of sending it back into the electric grid. When your panels aren’t producing enough power–such as early in the morning or early evening–you can use the electricity you stored in your sonnenBatterie instead of having to buy it from your utility.

Temporary Independence from the Grid

Solar panels save you money on your utility bills, but what happens when there is a power outage? Panels alone will not power your home when the lights go out.

Most home batteries have enough capacity to store a few hours of electricity, and larger batteries could serve as temporary backup for your home if the grid goes down. Check out this video demonstrating how you can customize your home’s functionality with a sonnenBatterie when power outages happen:

You won’t be completely independent, but you can count on your stored energy during weather events that can bring the grid down for hours on end. Now that’s resilience!

Your Power is YOUR Power

With the end of net metering, your excess power still gets put back into the grid… but without any compensation for the power you’ve created. With solar + storage, your power is yours. Storing your solar-generated power insures that your investment stays within your home. Not only do you see a direct return on investment during low-production hours, it also saves the grid from being stressed. We’d call that a win-win.

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Contact us today to learn more about what solar + storage can do for you, and to see if you are a good candidate!