A massive heatwave is gripping the United States, with Death Valley reaching a record-breaking 127 F (53 C). Major cities like Phoenix are also experiencing extreme heat, raising concerns about people's survival during power outages. With temperatures reaching dangerous levels, air conditioning is no longer a luxury but a necessity, and current solar battery technology is insufficient to keep homes cool during extended blackouts.
I, David Fillmore, work for YouSolar, but I am also an engineer working on NASA’s CERES mission. Our climate is controlled by the amount of sunlight absorbed by Earth and the amount of infrared energy emitted to space. Heat in. Heat out. If the heat in exceeds the heat out, the planet warms.
Arnold Leitner grew up in central Germany and spent a decade on wildlife conservation before moving to the US. After returning to Germany as an adult, the author noticed significant changes in the wildlife. Recently, a photo revealed bee-eater birds, a tropical species, thriving near the author's hometown, which is surprising and exciting.
The New York Times highlights the rapid rise of large-scale batteries used by the power grid to store renewable energy. While this is a positive development, the article focuses solely on benefits for grid operators and doesn't explore the potential of independent solar battery systems for homes and businesses, which can offer significant advantages to the customer.
The US is installing way more energy storage (up 90% in a year!) This is thanks to cheaper batteries, smoother supply chains, and ongoing demand. Most of the storage is big (grid-scale) but homes and businesses are also adding some (up 25% and 7% respectively). California and Texas are leading the charge.
Bay Area residents can expect some wind this weekend, but no power outages are anticipated. However, this is a reminder of the increasing threats climate change poses to the US power grid.
California: 30,000 policyholders dropped by State Farm due to wildfire risk. Homeowners turn to suppression systems as insurers abandon them. But power cuts during wildfires threaten firefighting efforts. YouSolar provides backup power for these systems.
Our Santa Clara office lost power on Tuesday. Ironically, being in the resilient power business, these outages bring a fun challenge. We tested our PowerBloc in the lab, then used our electric vehicle for an extra power boost!
The system has independent modules that keep working even if others fail. This redundancy makes it strong and reliable, just like Voyager 1 & 2's design.
Have you ever wondered why residential battery systems are typically mounted in garages?
