Northern California recently experienced it’s hottest period in recorded history. Sacramento shattered its previous record and reached a searing 116 degrees Fahrenheit on September 6th. PG&E customers and electricity users statewide were asked to conserve energy or risk the chance of rolling blackouts. Furthermore, utility companies asked electric vehicle (EV) owners to reduce the numbers of miles driven or not charge their cars during this period. You might be wondering, why did these blackouts not occur?

The answer is simple – the worlds largest distributed battery. According to CALSSA, “California had more than 80,000 customer-cited batteries connected to the electric grid capable of providing 900MW of solar power”. For perspective, a medium sized natural gas power plant is capable of producing 250MW. These batteries are pre-programmed to discharge at specific times during the day, often times when the need for electricity on the grid is greatest. These batteries reduce the strain on the grid and help keep the lights on for all Californians.

“Solar and storage homes and businesses are like Flex Alert superheroes. They not only reduce strain on the grid, they can go a step further and share surplus electrons with their neighbors,” says CALSSA.

Please click here for the full CALSSA article.

Sunriver Solar is certified to install Enphase IQ Batteries, LG RESU Home Batteries, and SolarEdge Energy Bank batteries. For more information regarding battery power for your home or business please contact sales@sunriversolar.com or dial 833-321-7866 (SUNN).