Although GVEC works round-the-clock to prevent power outages, there are inevitably times when circumstances beyond our control cause them to happen. On occasions when electricity gets interrupted to the Cibolo neighborhood where Agapito and Barna Lambert live, the couple no longer worries about the inconvenience of losing power. Since September 2019, the Lamberts always keep power flowing regardless of what’s happening on the grid. How can that be? Read on to find out.
GVEC and Powerwall: Electricity, Plan B
Agapito and Barna are delighted to be able to keep the lights on during outages thanks to a 16-panel rooftop solar array and a 13.5kWh Powerwall module. Their Powerwall is key. Without battery backup, the electricity-generating capacity of panels must be switched off during an outage. This shutdown prevents solar-generated electricity from “backfeeding” onto de-energized primary lines along GVEC’s grid which can pose serious risks to line crews working to restore power.
Since installing Powerwall through GVEC in September 2019, the Lamberts haven’t experienced any adverse impact from a power outage. They’ve been able to heat or cool their home, cook food, and do all the other things of everyday life. Agapito stresses, in fact, that the only way he and Barna know when an outage hits their street is by looking out the window and seeing the darkened windows of neighboring homes and unlit streetlights. Powerwall allows life at the Lambert residence to continue on normally during outages.
Preparedness as Second Nature
Agapito currently works as a safety officer at the South Texas Veterans Health Care System in San Antonio. Before that, he retired from the U.S. Air Force after 26 years. During his military career, he served as an officer and health engineer in charge of occupational health, hazardous waste and environmental compliance in day-to-day Air Force operations. That background, he explained, has ingrained a mindset and lifestyle focused on always being prepared for emergencies. This, in turn, is what interested him in a battery storage solution.
Ready for Any Outage Circumstance
The Lamberts have been so happy with their solar/battery combination, that they added an additional 26 solar panels to their system in early June. This brought their total panels to 42. For now, though, they’re happy with a single Powerwall, installed and warrantied by GVEC. Even with a five-bedroom, three-bath, 3,600 square-foot home, that single module is enough to supply continuous auxiliary power for between 48 and 72 hours, Agapito says, depending on usage.
Thanks to GVEC and Powerwall, he adds, the couple can have and do “the basic necessities of life” whenever power along the grid is interrupted—bathing, sanitation, AC/heating and so forth. In the event of an extended outage, he would likely need to take Barna to work with him without the battery. “I strongly recommend owning one of these to anyone that wants to always be prepared to provide their family as good a quality of life as possible under all circumstances,” he says.
More Info on GVEC and Powerwall
Interested in knowing more about GVEC Solar solutions and how battery storage can let you keep power flowing to your home during outages? Visit gvecSOLARservice.com or call GVEC at 855.898.8807, and one of our solar solutions specialists will be happy to help!
