When a power grid goes out, the consequences can be very serious for utility customers.
Basic medical equipment such as oxygen concentrator and ventilator stopped working, expensive food in the refrigerator and freezer began to deteriorate, and life was completely interrupted.
However, some power companies in California have been actively preventing these two new homes --
Solar cells-
Storage devices, as well as any of their extensions, even threaten to revoke licenses on existing systems.
They claim that customers are "playing" interest rate systems that profit from energy arbitrage: Low buy and high sell based on timeof-
Using electricity bills, in some cases, charging from the grid to the battery bank does not use renewable energy at all.
"Recently, Southern California Edison refused to allow our customers to use the solar system, and we had a lot of problems because utilities said they had no evidence that the energy stored came from renewable energy.
Owner of Santa Barbara, California
Solar Pacific Solar Power told me.
"These systems have been checked and licenses have been signed, but after 5 months, our customers are still not allowed to open.
The company also declined to allow some of our customers to expand their current systems and even threatened to shut down existing systems altogether.
California investors say
Utilities owned by Pacific Gas and Power Corporation and Southern California Edison Corporation (IOUs) believe that modern battery backup solar power generation systems have somehow changed the game to sell excess power generation to utilities
This is far from the truth, said Phil enfokler, product management and strategy director at Outback Power Technologies, a US Power grid manufacturer.
Interactive solar products. "Grid-
Bundled battery backup systems are as old as the earliest days of the grid
"Connecting Solar, homeowners and solar professionals are facing this new impasse, and there is no good reason for that," Undercuffler said . ".
"All the batteries were installed early-
Most are still running.
It is incorrect for utilities to claim that the system has changed recently.
And the fear and longevity of IOU-
Time disagreements with federal and state net energy metering (NEM) standards are not a secret.
"Fortunately, the recently appointed commissioner's ruling (ACR) of the California Public Utilities Commission restored the sanity of the California dispute.
In short, it states that in the next two years all systems with battery storage will be eligible to become renewable power generation facilities, so additional ones can be waived when classified as non-renewable power generation facilities
Renewable because of battery storage.
Customer still need to pay special metering-
The additional installation cost is about $1,400--
To ease the fear of energy arbitrage, but the ruling makes it even possible for systems in regions that don't have time --of-
This requirement is exempt from the use rate level.
Undercuffler told me: "The New California ACR is a great thing for the solar industry because it makes it clear to both the utilities and the solar industry how to solve this problem . ".
"There are still some issues that require more guidance, but, for the utilities and solar industries, this is a great opportunity to come together, determine the actual intent and use of the solar storage system.
Ultimately, these systems will benefit consumers and utilities.
Carrie Hitt, senior vice president of state affairs, solar industry advocacy organization Solar Industry Association, said, "From our point of view, if the storage system meets the" Add or enhance "standard of the NEM system, then according to the regulations, it's a NEM-
Eligible facilities and the same rules should apply without a sunset date.
"This is the kind of straight talk that homeowners and renewable energy professionals welcome.
But will other utilities in other states pick up this "Scarecrow" strategy and start using these same invalid arguments?
This is a huge fear for professionals and consumers in the renewable energy industry, although the issue is currently only getting media attention in California.
"NEM standards are now under attack in many areas . "
"More and more utilities are discouraging consumers from using renewable energy. That's a shame--
It should be the opposite.
"Please calculate that I have been designing and installing the battery
I have built solar and wind power systems for my clients since 1994.
Perhaps the most common question I 've heard is "Can I install the battery and tell the power company to cut off my power so I can save money ? "?
My answer is always no.
The grid is the highest-
Technology, reliable and cheap "batteries", in the rare case of power grid failure, all it takes to install an effective battery backup is a "key load sub-panel ", may also be a backup generator for longer periods after a major natural disaster
Typical "battery bills" for backup systems can easily go from $30 a month to more than $120--
It's just a simple-
The pre-life cost of the battery and related equipment amortized over the expected lifetime ranges from six to ten years of the battery.
That means the cost of the battery. Storage kilowatts-
Energy hours of 40 cents to $1 per kWh (kWh )--
Much higher than any rate any utility in the United States pays to homeowners who generate more energy each month than they use.
According to the U. S. Energy Information Administration, the average electricity price in the United States is only 11 cents per kilowatt hour, and the tiered electricity price paid by Southern California Edison is less than 40 cents.
Even with favorable layering timeof-
Usage, there is no way for consumers to make money from utilities in this way.
The battery backup system is designed for energy security, not for profit.
Of course, it is possible to program them to sell electricity directly from the battery bank to utilities, but due to the monthly "battery Bill", this decision of the installer or consumer is financially stupid
"I can't wear roses --
This grim financial math colored glasses.
This will lead to disappointed customers tracking me with burning torch--
Due to the damaged battery Library Powering the sick, their only light source
Design and error
Programming System.
Battery backup doesn't work at all financially or technically.
The battery is integrated there, no use, but under the minimum "floating charge" of renewable energy or grid power until the utility drops the ball and goes out of power, and then runs the critical load, until the power grid is restored.
In more rural areas, this often happens, and life is threatened when it comes to medical equipment, not to mention a freezer full of food.
When the energy generated by the solar cell array exceeds the energy consumed by the family, the system will sell the energy to utilities.
For utility companies, blaming consumers or renewable energy installers for trying to make a profit from these systems suggests that either they know nothing about the technical and financial issues involved ---
Or, more likely, another utility strategy was born out of fear of the future, which minimizes coal, gas and nuclear power generation and instead supports consumers