Power outages are a big pain point throughout the summer, and California residents are all too familiar with dealing with outages after the last few summers of sky high temperatures and grid instability. As demand continues to increase, homeowners are faced with a costly conundrum: energy costs more and is less reliable than ever before. Let's take a look at outages in California, and consider the potential solutions to this growing problem.

Outages by the Numbers

While utilities have tried to anticipate and prepare for the year over year increases in energy consumption, each new summer season brings with it higher temperatures and higher need than ever before. As our aging grid struggles to keep up with this increased demand, prices jump up and up, and outages become more and more of a concern. A study of outages from 2017-2019 shows just how many California residents experienced blackout events, and coverage of the heatwave in 2022 revealed just how close we came to a system-wide collapse.

A quick visit to the utility outages map reveals just how many customers are without power on a normal day, and visiting this site in the summer reveals the wider extent of the issue. If you’re a California resident, outages aren’t a question of if, but when. This is purely from the perspective of demand, a problem which is not going away on its own. More and more people are undertaking electrification projects for their homes, which is a net positive for the environment! However, this also means more and more people are increasing their energy usage, as they transition from gas to electric power.

Heating Up

The increased energy usage is one thing, but the rising temperatures across the state are another concern for the increase in power outages. Specifically, AC units are the primary culprit when it comes to grid strain. As Severin Borenstein, a renewable energy expert, put it on Twitter, “Heat waves drive up demand drastically due to increased air conditioning. Typical summer peak load in CAISO is 30 GW, but super-hot day can be nearly 50 GW. That 60%+ increase is virtually all air conditioning.”

Those who have lived through the heat dome and other high intensity heat events of the last few years know just how vital it is to have cooling capabilities on hand, and outages can put you in a position where your home becomes dangerously hot. Having some sort of on site solution to outages is critical for those trying to beat the heat and keep the lights on.

Power Play

The solution to rising prices, rising temperatures, and increased outages is solar + storage. With a solar system on your home or property, you can generate clean, renewable energy on site, cutting out the need to rely on just the utility for power. This is an incredible way to dodge the high energy rates that have hit California residents over the last few years, and especially in the summer with AC demands creating out of control prices, you’ll be able to keep your cool and leverage your own power!

Plus, when it comes to outages, nothing beats a battery. Battery storage is California’s secret weapon against power outages, as they allow you to store and utilize your solar power even when the grid goes down! You won’t have to worry about losing access to your AC or any other critical appliances when the power goes out - you’ll simply be able to switch from grid to battery power and keep the lights on throughout the outage!

A Simple Solution

Solar home energy systems are the key to outsmarting power outages, and if you’re interested in having a solar + storage system installed on your home, our expert consultants can help you design a custom system that meets your needs and budget! Schedule a free consultation today, and say goodbye to power outages!