A Texas resident who mostly kept their lights on thanks to solar panels and battery storage has a word of hope and caution for homeowners who want to maintain power during grid outages. Fortunately, one company's free online tools can help you come out ahead. 

The scoop

In the r/solar subreddit, the original poster explained that they "wanted to share my recent story of solar and home battery usage during the Dallas, Texas power outages."

The OP said that the combo helped them keep their power on during a period when approximately 600,000 people experienced blackouts for several days after strong winds hammered the area. 

Even though they lost electricity a couple of times after mismanaging their inverter settings, their household escaped mostly unscathed, as it was "able to do many normal things." 

Moreover, they didn't lose any perishable food items, the spoilage of which during outages can result in hundreds of dollars down the drain. 

How it's helping

As extreme weather events intensify due to rising global temperatures and an electrical grid in the United States mostly reliant on dirty fuels ages, a growing number of people are searching for ways to lower their utility bills while boosting their climate resilience. 

Solar panels are one of the best ways to do that. They also reduce harmful pollution (from coal, oil, and gas) driving much of the planet's accelerated warming. 

The OP had one crucial word of advice for people considering such a move, though. Many rooftop solar systems are linked to the main grid, so homeowners can sell excess energy back to power companies for bill credits and incentives, as EnergySage notes. 

"Systems with only solar panels will not power a house if they don't have batteries," the OP warned. "This is because a solar only install will shutdown to prevent power going back to the grid that could harm line workers who are repairing power lines."

If you're ready to increase your weather preparedness and pay less for electricity, EnergySage's free online tools can provide easy-to-compare estimates and connect you with trusted installers to ensure you get the best possible deal — and the right system for your needs. 

What's the biggest factor stopping you from investing in solar panels? The cost 💰 The technology ☀️ I'm a renter 🏢 I'm already invested 😎 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Doing so now may also give you the best long-term bang for your buck in case Congress acts to roll back incentives supporting the adoption of solar panels and clean-energy upgrades, as President Trump has stated that the Inflation Reduction Act isn't part of this administration's plans. 

What everyone's saying

Empowered with the right information thanks to companies such as EnergySage, you can begin to reap the benefits of solar energy. 

"By switching to solar, we now have just one monthly payment and offset our costs by sending energy back to the grid. Solar covers our energy use for most of the year, including cooling, electronics, yard equipment, and more," one person (who didn't reveal how they purchased their solar system) shared with The Cool Down. 

"EnergySage presented information in a way that was incredibly easy to understand and compare the many quotes they helped gather! Would recommend to anyone looking into their own solar project!" a happy EnergySage customer wrote to Reviews.io.

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