I have waited decades to say this:
Solar power has matured to the point that we can see various accounts, from Homes to businesses, getting off the grid. This isn't going to happen over night, but it has already started thanks to "disruptive" solar products from Solar City. Elon Musk's battery from his car called Tesla is being used by his cousin Lyndon Rive, the CEO, at Solar City who has over 170,000 customers and about 40% of the residential solar market place.
Walmart stores, that pay higher electric rates during peak hours, had Solar City install Tesla batteries to store up solar power to use when peak rates are being charged. Thus saving 20 to 30 percent off electric costs. Homes are using the new 10 kilowatt hour battery packs that store around two days of electrical power.
So utility companies have been expressing significant concern because of this new storage technology that translates into people getting off the grid. This transition event is likely to occur at the same rate as landline phones to cell phones. GTM estimates the solar market, now at $48 million, will grow to $1 Billion by the year 2018. Nevertheless, utility companies will not go out of business. This is a transition like the horse and buggy to the automobile. As for the delivery of electricity, currently only the utilities can provide that service. However, who is producing clean electricity is rapidly changing.
The bottom line is that each of us has an obligation now to make our homes and businesses as energy efficient as possible. I discussed this in my previous Going True Green Blog post called Making Solar Power Shine on October 19th of this year. Please give that some of your time for perusal.
Bill Lauto , GTG
Environmental Scientist
International Sustainability and Energy Consultant
Contribute your comments!
Solar power has matured to the point that we can see various accounts, from Homes to businesses, getting off the grid. This isn't going to happen over night, but it has already started thanks to "disruptive" solar products from Solar City. Elon Musk's battery from his car called Tesla is being used by his cousin Lyndon Rive, the CEO, at Solar City who has over 170,000 customers and about 40% of the residential solar market place.
Walmart stores, that pay higher electric rates during peak hours, had Solar City install Tesla batteries to store up solar power to use when peak rates are being charged. Thus saving 20 to 30 percent off electric costs. Homes are using the new 10 kilowatt hour battery packs that store around two days of electrical power.
So utility companies have been expressing significant concern because of this new storage technology that translates into people getting off the grid. This transition event is likely to occur at the same rate as landline phones to cell phones. GTM estimates the solar market, now at $48 million, will grow to $1 Billion by the year 2018. Nevertheless, utility companies will not go out of business. This is a transition like the horse and buggy to the automobile. As for the delivery of electricity, currently only the utilities can provide that service. However, who is producing clean electricity is rapidly changing.
The bottom line is that each of us has an obligation now to make our homes and businesses as energy efficient as possible. I discussed this in my previous Going True Green Blog post called Making Solar Power Shine on October 19th of this year. Please give that some of your time for perusal.
Bill Lauto , GTG
Environmental Scientist
International Sustainability and Energy Consultant
Contribute your comments!
