Officials are telling us, “Don’t Panic” – but “Do Prepare”. And that’s good advice, just about anytime.
Let’s talk about: Solar Power with a Battery – and Real Life Situations…Like…Now.
Many of you know, in addition to being a real estate broker – my sub-specialty as an Energy Efficiency Specialist in building design and real estate has led me to add another aspect to my career: Solar Energy Specialist Consultant.
In this capacity, I educate consumers, evaluate their homes and specific circumstances – shade, natural resources, site design and home features to determine if solar is a possibility – then look at a client’s financial resources, motivation and plans regarding the long-term disposition of their home to help them decide if solar is a good fit for them right now.
One aspect in particular, however, that is often overlooked, or misunderstood is the value of Safety and Security during times of unrest, emergencies, etc., in providing a reliable and renewable source of power that isn’t dependant upon the grid, government or public agencies outside of one’s control.
It feels good to know that your home is a safe, secure and reliable place of refuge where one can retreat to in times like these.
As we stand here, faced with a wholly unexpected outbreak of a Coronavirus, and we’re being asked to shelter in place, in our homes – self-quarantine – we have all seen near panic regarding certain goods… toilet paper – rubbing alcohol – cleaning products. We’re stocking up on water, frozen goods – staples. And that’s good. We could, conceivably, be stuck in our homes a while!!
Not to bring in another worry – but rather to be realistic: We’re entering hurricane season. And if we know anything from China and Italy – we already can reasonably expect that our public services will be stretched to the max – with many skilled workers out sick, or possibly unwilling to come out of self-quarantine and help if public services get interrupted. So power outages are possible – and could, under the circumstances, be extended. Anyone who lived through Katrina knows that this is always a possibility in Southeast Louisiana.
So what could a little planning and a small investment do for you at a time like this? It could buy you some peace of mind – with at least a small solar array and Tesla battery – knowing that at least a panel of essential/critical load circuits could reliably be yours. The sun will continue to shine. Your panels will continue to produce, day after day, and your battery will continue to hold power and return it back to you for use. Even if the grid is down.
What does it cost? It depends – on the size of the system you need/want to offset your current usage. You can – however – invest in at least a minimal system of about 8-12 panels and a Tesla battery. As long as your home does not require extensive electrical upgrades added to the cost, your system, including the Tesla battery back up system, on approved credit could be $159 or less, with no money out of pocket, whatsoever. That’s a system with a worry-free, “bumper to bumper” warranty for 25 years on the panels and 10 on the battery. And that monthly payment would further be offsetting a minimum of $46.32 that you are already paying to your utility provider – (however, could offset significantly more than that, depending on your daily lifestyle, how, and when you are using your self-generated power. )
So, in reality, you are creating True Energy Freedom – Safety and Security – reducing your dependence on the Grid, and permanently locking in today’s costs for production of your future energy needs (with rising and uncertain utility costs) for a net monthly payment of around $100.
If you would like a consultation, and personal analysis of your home – but perhaps would prefer NOT to have visitors in your home during this uncertain time – I can do your analysis remotely – via a teleconference, with a few basic images of your home, your meter, electric panel, a copy of your electric bill (the one showing the 12-month usage graph), and some basic questions. If you decide that you’d like to go forward, we can set up one personal visit, under clean hands/CDC protocols so that I can verify the condition, location and feasibility of your system before we move forward to the permit stage.
Please call me at 985-869-0332 if you would like to schedule a free consultation –
Offer Available in: Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Kansas, Oklahoma, Florida, Arkansas, South Carolina, Tennessee and New Mexico.