Do you know how electricity gets to your home?
Traditional Electricity Basics
- Generation: Electricity is first produced at a power plant. This can be from fossil fuels (like natural gas or coal), nuclear energy, or renewable sources (like solar, wind, or hydro).
- Transmission: Once it's generated, the electricity travels long distances through high-voltage power lines. These lines carry large amounts of electricity efficiently to different parts of the state or region.
- Distribution: Near your neighborhood, the high-voltage electricity goes through transformers that reduce the voltage to a safer level. It’s then sent through smaller power lines on poles or underground wires directly to homes and businesses.
In short, power is made at plants, sent over long-distance lines, and then delivered to your house through a local distribution network.
Key Challenges
Over the next 20–30 years, utilities face several major challenges in providing sustainable energy:
- Aging Infrastructure: Much of the current grid is outdated and not built to handle renewable energy sources like solar and wind, which are more variable and decentralized.
- Increasing Demand: As populations grow and electric vehicles and home electrification expand, demand on the grid will rise sharply, requiring major upgrades.
- Climate Resilience: More frequent extreme weather events—like hurricanes, wildfires, and heatwaves—put added stress on the grid and increase the risk of outages.
- Transition to Clean Energy: Shifting from fossil fuels to renewables requires massive investment, new technologies, and updated policies—all while maintaining reliability and affordability.
- Energy Storage & Grid Stability: Renewables don’t produce power 24/7, so utilities must invest in battery storage and smart grid tech to balance supply and demand.
These challenges mean the future of energy depends not just on cleaner power sources, but on smarter, more resilient systems—and more empowered homeowners.
Solar Power Basics
Solar power is made when sunlight hits the solar panels on your roof. These panels turn sunlight into direct current (DC) electricity. That electricity then flows into a device called an inverter, which changes it into alternating current (AC)—the type of electricity your home uses.
From there, the power goes to your home’s electric panel, where it’s distributed to run your lights, appliances, and other devices. If your panels make more electricity than you need, the extra power can go back to the utility grid, often earning you credits on your bill, or the extra power can be stored in a backup battery. Solar power is a clean, efficient way to power your home and save money.
Why Solar Makes Sense
Using solar energy to supplement grid power offers homeowners a range of valuable benefits:
- Lower Electricity Bills: By generating your own solar power during the day, you use less energy from the utility grid—especially during peak hours when rates are highest—reducing your monthly electric bills.
- Energy Independence: Solar panels allow you to rely less on the utility company, giving you more control over your power supply and protecting you from rising energy costs.
- Backup During Outages (when paired with battery storage): If the grid goes down, your solar system can keep essential appliances running—especially important during storms or emergencies.
- Environmental Impact: Solar power is clean and renewable, meaning you reduce your carbon footprint and contribute to a more sustainable future.
- Increased Home Value: Homes with solar systems are often more attractive to buyers and can sell for more than homes without them.
In short, supplementing grid power with solar gives you savings, security, and sustainability—all while increasing the value of your home.