severing ties with utilities isn't as easy as cutting the cable cord - home battery system

If the disaster happens, Joe Fleischmann can hold the lights, the fridge and the big --
Even if the power company gets dark, his Orange County home has a TV screen.
Fleischmann was an early adop for home energy storage: in his garage, there was a battery that was strong enough to help keep the essentials running.
The home of the former Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy has a complete ecosystem
Friendly power equipment
Solar panels on the roof, as well as battery storage in the garage and charging stations for electric vehicles.
But even with all his powerful tools, felichmann is still unable to cut off the power cord with Southern California Edison.
Cut off relations with the central power system-
Off the Grid-
It may be the dream of a survivor and some consumers, but the reality is hard to achieve.
Battery costs sufficient to power air conditioners, washing machines, dryers and other big energy consumers will jeopardize the budget of most homeowners.
"In terms of being completely out of the grid, it's a little strange to me because you always have to rely on utilities," Fleischmann said . ".
"We can do that, but at what cost?
"Even the leader in the residential power storage industry --
Fleischmann supplier of battery systems worth $26,000
Consumers were not seen defected from their utility. "True off-
"The grid is ridiculous," said Blake ritchetta, senior vice president of Sonnen Inc.
He is responsible for the American market for German battery manufacturers. S.
Headquartered in North Hollywood, arm.
Sonnen has about 18,000 residential systems, mainly in Germany and Italy.
Not only is it costly to turn your home into a virtual power plant, but it makes the consumer's home an island, and if there is a power outage, it will not be able to access the central power system, Richetta said.
Grid operation failed.
Doing so alone will bring more global benefits: residential and commercial power systems can support power grids and utilities.
Richetta, Tesla's former North American sales manager, said: "Energy storage adds value and significant value to grid operators . "
Have your own battery line.
For example, as consumers increase the storage of solar panels and batteries, coupled with increased energy efficiency, the demand for electricity from traditional utilities has decreased.
This helps utilities avoid building new fossil-fuel power plants such as natural gas facilities.
"We are basically helping the grid to do things that we have never done before in a cheaper, cleaner way," Richetta said . ".
Although Fleischmann's system comes with a high price tag, costs have been falling sharply, making it possible for ordinary consumers to be more affordable in the coming years.
Ravi Manghani, energy storage director at GTM Research, said installation prices for residential systems have dropped 25% to 30% in the past two to three years.
During this period, the cost of the battery itself fell by about 60% to about $425 per kilowatt. hour, he said.
Consumers can benefit from state and federal incentives that can reduce overall costs, Manghani said.
In some places,
Grids make more sense than others.
In the United States, that place is Hawaii, where the electricity price is the highest in the United States, about twice that of California every kilowatt hour. hour.
Because power plants in Hawaii have to import fuel, the cost is high.
Hawaii's higher utility label makes it easier for consumers to choose solar panels and battery storage.
This potential sales opportunity has attracted the attention of energy companies including Sonnen, Tesla, Sunrun and Blue Planet, which offer solar and battery packaging similar to the Fleischmann system,
But for other places, even relatively high.
The cost of California, it is difficult to reach an agreement that includes storage at less than the price consumers pay for power companies.
Ron Nichols, president of Southern California Edison, said: "You may not save enough money to do the job . " The company serves about 15 million people through 5 million residential and commercial accounts.
"Now it has no pencil.
Nichols admits that the equation may eventually improve for residential consumers.
"Battery technology will get better over time," he said . ".
"It will cost less.
Nichols said he believes some of the greatest and most direct opportunities in the commercial storage systems of schools, large office buildings and other commercial entities.
Commercial customers need to pay extra for using electricity at peak demand.
During these periods, the battery can reduce the use of electricity by commercial customers to utilities and ultimately save money.
In addition, they can sign contracts with power companies that allow utility companies to extract power from their batteries when the grid may be needed.
"It's not all silver bullets," Nichols said . ".
But we are looking for new opportunities.
They will be very helpful to the grid in the future.
Bernadette Del Chiaro, executive director of the California solar industry association, said.
, Agree that the price of batteries on the residential side is still a little high.
But she believes that just as commercial customers can help the grid with batteries, residential consumers can also help the grid by maintaining connectivity to utilities and the wider grid.
"The solar and storage industry is actually working on a green grid," Del Chiaro said . ".
"It is really considered to make the grid stronger and more resilient, not that everyone becomes their own island.
Del Chiaro says utilities benefit from the argument that solar storage is too expensive for residential customers because they retain control over electricity and maintain consumers
But she says efforts to empower consumers will ultimately reduce costs.
"What we are trying to push is what really changes the market," Del Chiaro said . ".
"Everyone thinks solar energy and storage are toys for the rich.
Utilities run around Sacramento and refer to solar plus storage as "Cadillac class ".
But if utilities are allowed to set an agenda for the development of the power system, she said, "We will maintain a high level of prices in this way . ".
Fleischmann retired from the Sheriff's Department after a back injury and he installed a 6. 5-
Three years ago, his Brea home installed a kilowatt solar panel.
He added the Sonnen battery system last year.
Fleischmann believes that the Sonnen system provides a good match for his home.
Unlike some batteries, the system is scalable and can be operated through computers and smartphones.
"I think it looks cool," said Fleischmann, 46 . ".
His goal is to save electricity for five homes and provide spare power in case of emergency.
He never thought about it. grid.
But he bought a big battery.
12 KW, and the typical home system is about 4 KW, enough to last four hours, Nichols said.
Fleishmann has chosen a large system that benefits from a national rebate, which accounts for about third of the cost of the battery.
Fleischmann retains about 20% to 25% of the battery as a backup, while tapping the remaining battery to support his home or send it to the grid.
"If the grid is closed, we will still have a source of electricity," Fleischmann said . ".
"I think with the popularity of the system and the decline in costs, more people are able to invest in the system. "ivan. penn@latimes.
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