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This high-tech appliance can save your fridge full of food during blackouts — and it qualifies for government incentives

If you need full power through the evening, or extended backup, these two options are great candidates.

If you need full power through the evening, or extended backup, these two options are great candidates.

Photo Credit: Depositphotos.com

A California company's new battery can remove at least some of the worry surrounding grid security and utility-ravaging severe weather with its state-of-the-art home-based energy storer. 

The industry-first Toshiba lithium titanate tech inside VillaGrid's battery promises to deliver reliable power to keep your milk cold without the fire risks associated with other lithium-ion packs that include flammable parts. That's according to EnergySage, a free online service that offers insight, pricing, and other tools to navigate solar and battery installation projects at home. 

The sleek VillaGrid comes in three options. If you are simply looking to avoid high prices during peak power consumption, the base model will work. If you need full power through the evening or extended backup, one of the other two options — VillaGrid+ or VillaGrid++ — are great candidates that qualify for tax breaks. 

They can all operate at minus-22 degrees to 131 degrees Fahrenheit and come with an amazing 20-year warranty, all per a company fact sheet. EnergySage said it's the longest warranty on the market for home battery backups


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"Additionally, the VillaGrid offers backup for demanding household loads due to its higher peak power and instantaneous power ratings when compared to other battery options," the EnergySage experts wrote

Home-based batteries and solar combos help homeowners deal with repercussions from our planet's overheating. NASA has linked the warmup, fueled by burning dirty energy sources, to increased risks for power line-damaging extreme storms. In turn, blackout chances are rising, too. 

While homeowners can expect to pay just over $22,000 for a solar setup at home on average, the system should last for decades. During that time, most people will pay upward of $60,000 in electricity bills, higher in many states, making solar energy a great long-term investment, all per EnergySage. A government study also found that the average U.S. homeowner saves about $700 a year with a solar setup when factoring the installation expenses.  

VillaGrids can charge in less than two hours, depending on the model. They are heavy, at 252 to 814 pounds, but they can still be mounted on your garage wall, according to the company. Their "lower internal resistance" allows the packs to deliver nearly all the power they store, called roundtrip efficiency, among other great performance perks. 

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To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best local options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner.

Other packs on the market, including Tesla's Powerwalls, use lithium-ion batteries. The insides contain flammable substances, though the packs are "still very safe," as noted by EnergySage. BioLite is another option that charges by being plugged into a standard outlet, providing blackout protection. Even electric vehicles are becoming potential home-savers as reserve power sources. 

VillaGrids can also charge your EV in addition to powering your home. And while the tech qualifies for still-available tax breaks, the recently passed "Big Beautiful Bill" has moved up the deadline to Dec. 31, 2025, meaning that any solar and/or battery project must be fully installed within the 2025 tax year to qualify.

Third-party comparison shopping sites like EnergySage are also handy because they can help you get free quotes with no phone calls involved on solar and battery tech such as VillaGrid and other clean energy projects. Now is just about the last chance to take advantage of the 30% tax credits, however you go about commissioning solar and battery installations, since projects can take about three months to complete.

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