As wildfire season approaches, experts warn that the recent rain has only put off the inevitable, so residents must stay prepared.  The dual hazards of wildfires and power outages pose significant risks to life and property, necessitating proactive measures to mitigate their impact. 

2024 Wildfire Season: What to Expect

The peak fire season, lasting from July to November this year, is expected to bring hotter temperatures and dry Santa Ana winds, likely sparking fast-moving fires in tall grass after the rain. To tackle the growing wildfire risk, utilities are resorting to preemptive blackouts to prevent electrical equipment from sparking fires. But while these blackouts aim to keep us safe, they also come with their own challenges, disrupting daily life, hitting essential services, and making our communities even more vulnerable.

In this blog post, we’ll explore: 

• What expenses and risk factors to expect during wildfire season 
  
  
• Solar Batteries role in mitigating these inconveniences 
  
  
• Financing and Incentives: Investing in backup power solutions can be financially viable, with government programs like the Investment Tax Credit and the California Self-Generation Incentive Program 
  

Expenses and risk factors to expect during wildfire season 

We all know how inconvenient power outages are. Inconveniences, expenses, and risks with power outages during Wildfire season include: 

• Putting your life, or your home-based business, on hold. No more cursing the utility while you watch a darkened computer screen, counting the minutes until Internet access is restored.  
  
  
• Cars are getting trapped in garages that have power door openers. If you are concerned about your ability to open your overhead garage door manually, having electricity during an outage is an important safety measure. 
  
  
• Safety risk if you have critical medical equipment in your home. Keep your loved ones safe and their ventilators, infusion pumps, or electric wheelchairs operating during an outage. 
  
  
• Food loss, messy puddles of thawing food, additional shopping trips due to a powerless refrigerator and freezer. If you’ve ever submitted a claim for lost food, you know your frozen goods and cold foods can easily add up to hundreds if not thousands of dollars in value.  
  
  

The Need for Battery Backup Power 

Solar batteries (also called “batteries for home,” “energy storage systems,” “battery backup systems,” and simply “storage”) are becoming increasingly popular in California households for two main reasons: 

1. People are tired of soaring electricity costs and the relentless rate hikes imposed by utility companies. Investing in solar battery backup systems empowers you to store your own energy, effectively reducing the impact of escalating electricity expenses.

2. Homeowners are protecting themselves from planned and unplanned power outages (especially during wildfire season). 

Power outages due to Wildfires disrupt daily life and can lead to various inconveniences and risks. Installing backup power solutions such as solar battery systems can mitigate these challenges and provide essential electricity during emergencies. 

Solar Battery Backup's role in preventing power outages

The good news is that by installing a solar battery, you can protect yourself from those outages and provide emergency backup power. Just imagine being able to keep part or even all of your home operating when your neighborhood is dark. 

Solar energy storage systems provide backup electricity during power outages, and they are fueled by the sun instead of fossil fuels. They provide the additional benefit of lowering your electric bills.  

As the name implies, solar energy storage systems are integrated with solar energy systems. You can install both at the same time or add energy storage later. If you already have a solar energy system from Citadel or another installer, we can easily add on storage for you.  

Are solar batteries worth it for you?  

Whether a solar battery will deliver enough value for your home or business depends on several considerations that you can discuss with your family and a professional solar installer.  

Investing in a solar energy system can be a significant financial investment. Adding a solar battery backup to the system can significantly enhance the return on investment, especially in California's current net metering environment. So, is adding a battery to your solar energy system worth the additional investment?  

Aspects that impact how much value you would reap from a solar battery include:  

1. Need for Emergency Backup:

Having power during a utility outage, planned or unplanned, is more important for some people than others. If constant electricity is critical to you, solar batteries can literally be a lifesaver.  

2. Incentives:

Californians who live in an area frequently impacted by wildfires and power outages qualify for the Self Generation Incentive Program (SGIP), which offers rebates for solar energy storage purchases and installation. Our homeowner customers typically receive between $1,300 and $36,000 in rebates. 

Homeowners who partner with us at Citadel to purchase and install their solar batteries enjoy an easy application process. 

That’s because we manage the SGIP application process for our customers. After helping thousands of customers take advantage of SGIP, we know how to secure the largest rebate customers qualify for. 

Read our blog SGIP: HOW HOMEOWNERS SAVE ON SOLAR BATTERIES IN CALIFORNIA for specific examples of our customers’ SGIP rebate amounts and overall experience with us.

In addition to the SGIP rebate, many Californians who invest in solar energy storage qualify for the federal Investment Tax Credit, which pays you back up to 30% of the installation cost of a solar energy system. 

In fact, the SGIP rebate, combined with the tax credit, has enabled many of our customers to obtain solar batteries at 0 net cost (!)

3. Increased Independence from Expensive Utility Companies:

Achieving greater independence from costly utility companies is a significant motivation for some homeowners considering solar batteries.  

4. Time-of-Use Rates:

California's major utility companies offer billing plans with peak usage rates, typically in the late afternoon and evening. Solar energy storage allows consumers to shift their usage away from these high-rate periods. 

Conclusion

Preparing for wildfire season and power outages requires proactive measures to ensure power resilience. By understanding the benefits of backup power solutions, evaluating their value proposition, and partnering with knowledgeable professionals, individuals can safeguard their homes and communities against the impact of unforeseen emergencies.