Would you like a home backup generator for $12 a month with a very small fee for DELIVERED gas?

To qualify, you will need a solar system and a decent Li-Ion battery pack of something like 6 KWh usable energy (not sticker amount, out the plug).

There's no install fee, no noise or maintenance and you don't have to drive to the gas station every 8 hours like most generators or go out in the cold to fill it up again and again.

The idea is to use it only when your solar doesn't quite cover your loads. Like dark dingy days.

How do you get it?

You probably already have it! It's called the power company!

Not that I like them but for a low monthly fee if you have grid available it's a great deal and no gas mess.

The base fee will of course change depending on where you live.

Why did I say this? People I talk to seem to think they need to go completely off grid. They seem to think if you don't, somehow the solar system isn't big enough or good enough so why bother.

But the financial factors and technical facts say otherwise when grid power is available and already installed. If you don't use much because of your solar system, why would you want to lug gas cans around and have them leak in the back of your car and smell things up? Gas does not store well for very long and is dangerous.

So start thinking of the power company as the lowest cost BACKUP generator you could ever have. You may only use $1 on a bad month (9 KWh).

If you have a grid power outage, act like it and live on a little less power for a few hours or days. Is it really that hard for a few days when your neighbors are using candles?

And don't forget that you already own a installed 6 KWh HEAT "battery" you could be easily charging with solar that you pay for every day. I will let you think about that.

Keywords Tesla Powerwall Home Battery Hot Water PV DIY Technology Homeowners Energy Storage System DER Hybrid Home Battery Pack