Event Description

As electric demand grows with an increased emphasis on electrification and resilience in a time where the temperatures are heating up and more EVs are plugging in, it’s important to design home back up power and solar systems right from the start, and to make sure clients have clear and accurate expectations.  

GreenHome Institute’s Brett Little and Greg Smith, author of the Battery Powered Home, shared a pretty pragmatic conversation about home back up power that should be recommended listening/watching for most key home energy stakeholders:

• System designers 
• Sales and marketing teams
• Occupants who want to be prepared when the power goes out

Greg walks through the tradeoffs people have to make and the factors that can lead to system success, which is largely measured by clients feeling like they got the benefits they were promised.  One challenge is when the equipment is working just as it’s supposed to, but perhaps something else was expected.  This problem creates a false sense of failure that is preventable.  Understanding how someone will use a home and talking through their priorities is a pretty essential ingredient for making sure they can power what they need in a crisis. It might also help if home back up power marketing and sales professionals set realistic expectations of what these systems are supposed to do.  People who expect a home to run basically the same in an outage for as long as needed, with the central A/C cranking, are likely to be disappointed.  The same goes for people who think backup power means a zeroed out utility bill.  

Greg points out what should be obvious right up front, that even if everything can be powered in theory, math and physics rule: A system will drain available power until it runs out or hits some other limit.  And that limit is designed in from the start.  Brett and Greg review some factors and perhaps common issues which can affect performance, like focusing on square footage and not loads, accounting for startup surge power requirements, and designing for peak demand, even if that need is rare.  Understanding client goals is also essential.  Are they looking to save energy generally or during peak loads? Do they want to get through outages? Do they want to be off the grid?

Many consumers think that they are going to be able to “power it all” as mentioned, also without going over the budget.  Unless that budget is effectively unlimited, people are going to have to pick and choose between the comfort of powering what they want, and how long that system is going to be able to run.  Those who are involved in the planning process and/or are educated as part of the process are much more likely to be satisfied with giving up some comfort or saving some money with a little less power or time. Greg mentions a working fridge, charging, some lights, and some comfort, rather than insisting on everything as usual. When it’s the expectation, it does make sense that resilience usually means giving something up to sustain the situation until the crisis is over.  But it’s also better if that tradeoff, or sacrifice, is not a surprise.     

According to Greg, consumers are increasingly picking resilience, where ROI  might once have been the top goal. In the face of climate instability and the resulting volatile weather and increasing fires, and therefore longer outages, “survivability” and how long the system can run with a smaller number of essential items can suddenly matter the most.  On the other hand, thinking creatively can help balance goals.  Greg shares an example of installing a mini split and picking some spaces to cool, which is a way to remain comfortable but preserve power.   

Check out the video and join the discussion!  What has been your experience with back up power systems? Do you design or install them? Do you have a whole home back up system? What was your sales experience like, and did you feel well informed?