Bret Biggart’s Post

Much of Texas continues to clean up from Hurricane Beryl, and millions of Texans have no power — or air conditioning — in the teeth of this July heat. Our thoughts and prayers are with those suffering in its wake. This is yet another grim reminder that Texas is a target for extreme weather. State government, the private sector, and individual Texas families and business owners all must do more to prepare for, and build resilience against, these increasingly frequent emergencies. There’s a lot that goes into that, but distributed energy resources — such as rooftop solar panels backed up by battery units — have to be a big part of the solution: they let individuals and families generate their own electricity during blackouts, allow for community resilience hubs, and lower demand on the power grid when it’s stressed. Freedom Solar Power has hundreds of customers in the Houston region with solar and backup batteries; we’re very glad to have helped them keep power while weathering this storm. https://cnn.it/45X8r5H #Resilience #Beryl #PowerOutages #Solar #Storage #TxLege #Houston

This customer review put a giant smile on my face. Michael from Houston shared with us, “Solar and batteries have completely changed how I think about using electricity. We run all the big appliances during the day because sunshine is free. But the biggest positive for me has been no outages our solar and battery couldn’t handle. Since we went live in July 2021, there have been 46 ‘events’ that our batteries protected us from. Some were very short, but the total over the life so far has been 14 hours of backup used when the grid was out, with the longest outage lasting 5 hours. Not a problem at all for my Powerwall! Most of these we didn’t even notice until the app let us know it had happened. Don’t think I want to live in a house without solar and battery ever again.” Freedom Solar Power is constantly innovating to make sure that our customers can count on their solar and battery systems, no matter the circumstances. Michael’s experience is a testament to the power of this technology. #CustomerReview #TeslaEnergy #SolarPower #TXEnergy #SolarEnergy

This week, we're celebrating Independence Day 🇺🇸 and the freedom that defines our great nation. Obviously, freedom's a pretty critical principle for Freedom Solar Power. It's one of the things we value most in life, and we're fired up — every day — to give people more freedom in their day-to-day lives.   It's shaping up to be a very hot week. I hope you and your family and friends get outside a bit, stay safe and as cool as you can, and keep the lights on and the AC running when you need them.    And if you want to talk about freedom from blackouts and high power bills, I hope you'll give us a call.   Wishing you and yours a safe and celebratory Fourth of July!    #IndependenceDay #txlege #txenergy #EnergyIndependence #SustainableFuture #SolarEnergy

Can you imagine paying more than $800 for your utility bill? This is the reality for residents in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Oklahoma, who are facing costs as high as $858 this summer—a $15 increase from last year, according to National Energy Assistance Directors Association. This is especially tough on low-income families who struggle to afford air conditioning. More families are turning to solar power to combat these high costs. Solar power offers a reliable and cost-effective solution, reducing bills and ensuring power even during the hottest time of the year. Your summer should be a time to live more powerfully, not spent worrying about how to afford your electric bills. https://lnkd.in/gn52qPAH #SolarPanels #SolarPower #HeatWave #TxEnergy #RenewableEnergy

Instead of getting a bill from your power company every month, you could be getting a check.   People with solar and battery storage systems can sign up for what are known as Virtual Power Plants (VPPs). As part of a VPP, homeowners sell power they generate back to the grid when it's needed — and get paid in the process. VPPs also protect customers from high bills and blackouts while easing pressure on the grid.    In Texas and across the country, power grids are straining to meet demand during extreme weather. That demand is going to skyrocket in coming years, and states need to take advantage of solutions that protect people, ease the load on the grid, and provide electricity when people need it. VPPs do all three, helping people live more powerfully. Freedom Solar Power is proud to be working with Tesla Electric on a landmark VPP program for homeowners. Want to know more? https://lnkd.in/gGZ_N6iT #Solar #SolarPower #VirtualPowerPlants #Powerwall #TxLege #TxEnergy  

Recent power outages in parts of Texas are powerful reminders of the vulnerability of the state’s power grid. ERCOT says there’s a 16% chance of a grid emergency this summer — and a 12% chance of rolling blackouts. That’s part of why Texas is embracing solar power and battery storage. Unfortunately, in some places, red tape is getting in Texans’ way. Check out this op-ed from the Texas Solar Energy Society and Environment Texas on how some local governments are making it harder for Texans to live more powerfully through solar and storage. Texans deserve efficient solar and storage permitting. It will help keep families free and safe from blackouts as well as high power bills, and help protect the grid by offsetting electricity demand during peak periods. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gJSmE8hZ #txlege #txenergy #renewableenergy #Texaspowergrid #gridfailure #solarpower

Texas' voracious, growing appetite for energy is getting impossible to ignore. ERCOT recently reiterated that the state's power demand could nearly DOUBLE by 2030. It’s a big story, but it’s not surprising. Fast-growing places like Texas need long-term, sustainable solutions that fortify the grid and reduce consumer costs. That's exactly what solar power and battery storage solutions do: lightening the load on the power grid while helping people generate their own energy to use when they need it. Solar and storage help people live more freely off the grid; that keeps them free and safe from high bills and blackouts. They also help create the diverse power grid that growing economies increasingly need. Read more about how Texas’ energy landscape is changing: https://bit.ly/4b6x1C3 #txlege #txenergy #energyindependence #renewableenergy #sustainability