Two-Thirds of Americans Brace for Power Outages

Blackout Blues

A report recently shared by the Department of Energy warns that up to two-thirds of the US could experience blackouts this summer due to extreme heat. With temperatures already rising and demand for electricity on the rise, up to 60 million people in the United States could be affected by these outages, with those in the south and southwest being most vulnerable.

The warning comes as a stark reminder of the increasing strain on our power systems — and our increased reliance on them. Government agencies also project above-normal temperatures across much of the US this summer, leaving homeowners at the mercy of an aging power grid.

Although almost half of US homeowners express concerns about weather-related power outages, it hasn’t stopped many from electrifying everything in their homes, from heat to stoves to vehicles.

The Solar Solution

As energy rates rise and concerns about grid reliability grow, homeowners are increasingly looking toward sustainable alternatives.

This has led to a rapid increase in the electrification of homes and the adoption of solar power. It’s not just the environmentally conscious making the switch — nearly 77% of homeowners are either seriously considering investing in solar panels or basking in its benefits already.

This notable shift toward solar power is likely a response to two factors: reliability and cost. While electricity prices are spiking, the cost of solar is dropping. Residential systems have become 65% more affordable in the past decade. Plus, it has the potential to reduce dependence on the grid, if not eliminate electricity bills entirely.

Power to the People

While solar power offers a partial solution to our energy conundrum, it probably doesn’t fully resolve the need for energy security. According to energy experts, that’s where the growing trend of residential battery storage comes into play.

Residential battery storage enables homeowners to generate electricity without‌ using it, giving the power back to the people, quite literally. Residential battery storage not only addresses the ongoing demand for electricity, but also homeowners’ desire for energy independence.

By allowing households to manage when they use energy instead of relying on a single centralized source, these solutions give people more control over their own needs during outages or other events that’d otherwise jeopardize power access.

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