After being told a foam roof ruled out rooftop solar, a California homeowner turned to a different energy upgrade: a Tesla Powerwall 3 used to buy electricity at off-peak prices.
According to the homeowner, the battery lets the house rely less on PG&E during expensive hours and also serves as backup when outages hit.
Here's what to know
On Reddit, a resident in the San Francisco Bay Area said they skipped solar after three installers told them they couldn't mount panels on the home's foam roof. Instead, they opted for a leased Powerwall 3 and use it to store lower-cost power overnight under a time-of-use plan.
The economics, they said, worked because the battery should offset its own lease cost during the summer, with backup power as an added benefit.
"Especially important since the peak rate from 4 to 9 PM is 2 1/2 times the low rate from midnight to 3 PM," the original poster said.
If you're curious whether a battery could work for your home, it may be worth exploring EnergySage for information about home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates. EnergySage has teamed up with the electrification brand Qmerit to guarantee you get the best price on home battery storage solutions.
For a smaller-scale option, Pila also offers excellent battery backup options, and its plug-and-play batteries cost a fraction of what a whole-home backup system would.
More background
Home batteries are not only for houses with solar arrays. In places where utilities charge more during late-afternoon and evening peaks, battery storage can shift when electricity is purchased, helping lower bills without requiring major changes to daily routines.
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Not everyone in the thread agreed the roof made solar impossible.
"Talk to more installers. Spray foam roofs are completely compatible with a solar install. That's probably half of all commercial installations!" one commenter wrote.
The homeowner replied that they had already consulted three installers and preferred that none had attempted a design that could have harmed the roof.
"The battery is the solution today," one commenter wrote.
Where can I learn more?
More homeowners are weighing batteries even when rooftop solar isn't in the picture. The articles here cover solar roadblocks, Powerwall growth, battery financing, and incentives that can change the math.
• California homeowners say a major obstacle in the pursuit of solar power is blocking installations nationwide.
• Tesla says it has surpassed half a million installations as Powerwall adoption accelerates worldwide.
• More homeowners can now add home backup batteries without paying upfront, thanks to new financing.
• In Connecticut, a new policy gives home batteries a major advantage as solar caps tighten.
• In Queensland, residents can qualify for thousands off the cost of a Tesla Powerwall.
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