Feb 26, 2022 1:00 PM EST
Renewable energy needs storage – here’s one company charging up solar power
North Carolina – Solar energy harnesses the power of the sun to juice up your home and your electronic devices, and one company is trying to do its part to stop climate change by hooking up customers with solar panels and battery systems.
POWERHOME touts itself on American-made panels. © Screenshot/Instagram/powerhomesolar
Jayson Waller, CEO of North Carolina-based POWERHOME Solar, an all-in-one stop for solar panels and batteries, talked with TAG24 about how his company works to get people access to reliable power through solar panels and batteries.
The company, which managed to thrive during the height of the pandemic by hiring nearly 1,500 new employees, offers one of the best ways to make a home better for the environment.
Originally, Waller’s company didn’t use to install American-made solar panels.
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“The first panels we ever installed were Canadian solar panels in 2015,” he told TAG24.
But as former president Trump announced plans to increase tariffs on goods from China, Waller decided it was time to make a move.
“We decided to make a fundamental change in our organization to just go American-made panels. And we doubled our sales overnight. And we took the cost, because it cost more, rolled it to the customer, and they didn’t care, they’re getting a better product with a better warranty. And it was American-made, and they just felt proud of that. So our sales just skyrocketed.”
The panels hit a solid 20% efficiency, which is standard in the industry. The panels have a warranty for 25 years, but Waller personally believes they will far outlive their warranty.
Solar needs storage
Waller thinks that adding battery systems to solar power is a no-brainer. © Collage: IMAGO / Panthermedia, POWERHOME Solar
But solar panels alone, no matter how long-lived and efficient they are, can’t provide power 24/7. That’s where getting batteries into the mix is key.
“98% of customers get solar plus storage. So we believe, that everybody needs battery and storage,” Waller explained.
“But if you don’t have battery and storage, what are you doing? In today’s world, it’s not about saving a few bucks going solar. It’s about not having power outages. It’s about not being left in the dark. It’s about being able to control your costs while charging your …….