The Coming Wave of Next Generation Home Solar Companies

 

 

I was an early adopter of the current generation of solar technology when I installed panels on my San Jose home in the early 2000s, only to see the output from those panels skyrocket over the next 20 years. decreases from

On our latest home, we use current generation LG panels that promise to keep over 90% of their productivity for the same amount of time. However, not only am I unable to get the Tesla batteries I ordered last year (I'm told I might have them until next summer), I know I'm wasting a ton of energy. Because my energy usage is not monitored.

A truly green home isn't just solar. It has a managed energy system so you can optimize usage. But home energy management systems that work well with solar power are extremely rare, and the ones I've tested have been disappointing.

Lunar Energy, run by former Tesla executive Kunal Garutra, appears to be one of the first next-generation solar companies to focus on electrical efficiency rather than generation.

Lunar is an early version of the coming wave of solar companies that will quickly branch out from solar to energy management, providing a much stronger ROI for their products.

This week let's talk about how the transition to solar energy will change how we manage electricity, and how devices are built.

The Problem With Solar Energy

Solar energy is cheap. In fact, it is free but sadly the technology we need to use it is next to nothing. My last installation, which was heavily subsidized by the California and US governments, still set me back about $30,000 — even after subsidies — and my current system is closer to $100,000.

A direct benefit is that my electricity bill has gone from $700 a month to less than $50 a month during the summer. But winter is a different story. You see that solar energy is powered by the sun. In winter when the sun is lower on the horizon, it doesn't deliver as much power to the panels, but you still need energy to heat the house.

Granted most of my house is now heated with gas, but I want to run it with electricity. It still cuts my energy bill by about two-thirds, but solar only works during the day and when the sun is out. So, you need an alternative power source if you don't want to go in the dark at night or on cloudy days.

If you live off the grid, without batteries, even if the power goes out in the middle of a sunny summer day (as it did for me the other day) you will still lose power. Not only are batteries expensive, but you must also draw enough power to both charge them and power your home during the day, which increases your need for more solar power.

Now if you live on-grid, you don't have to pay this every night but only when you discharge the batteries during shutdown. If you go off-grid, that means you'll need about 30% extra capacity.

But what if you also focused on improving performance?

The Promise of Firms Like Lunar Energy

That's where these next-generation solar companies are focused: less on generating energy and more on increasing energy use efficiency. While Lunar Energy appears to be working on more efficient whole-house batteries, initially their overall effort is focused on efficiency rather than generation.

If you can make your home more efficient, you don't need as much solar or as many batteries. This efficiency focus works whether you're running on solar power or off the grid. You can use an energy management system regardless of how you source your power.

You can also potentially do things like power down your chargers when the batteries they are charging are at full capacity and turn them back on when the batteries are below 50%. This will help the batteries last longer and potentially reduce daily energy use.

In the past, tests of the Energy Star rating system have shown big holes in their implementation. This regulatory capability will also highlight devices that are wasteful, force device manufacturers to improve their energy efficiency, and catch those who are still gaming the system.

Next Gen Solar Appliances

Now there are companies like Sundanzer that have made devices for off-grid homes for years, but the features and capabilities of these devices remind me of what my grandmother had in the 1960s. Manual defrost, no cold water or ice making capability, limited capacity and, mostly, nothing you'd call attractive. But they are incredibly effective.

What I expect from the next generation of devices from companies focused on solar homes is to combine the performance of off-grid offerings with the capabilities and appearance of the current generation of modern devices. An off-grid product.

Finish

Lunar Energy is one of a new generation of solar energy companies that has focused more on the efficient use of energy than on its production.

I expect that by the end of the decade we will see entirely new companies coming to market with increasingly efficient appliances, more advanced home energy management systems, better whole-home battery solutions, and greener energy production and Take a more holistic approach to usability.

We are only at the beginning of this wave of solar energy. In the next 20 years, kitchen and home designs will change, appliances will change, and we will use AI to ensure efficient use of every watt of energy we produce. Overall, this effort should result in massive reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and a major step toward combating global climate change.