Heard Solar Was Over In SRP?SRP’s solar rate plans are some of the most unique in the country. Under SRP’s model, the cost of any energy purchsed from the grid - above what the solar panels provide - is primarily based on total kilowatt-hours consumed, plus a peak demand charge for the highest single 30-minutes of energy demand during the billing cycle. Demand spikes happen when a homeowner turns on numerous high-energy appliances at the same time during on-peak hours.
Successfully squashing demand fees requires the addition of demand mitigation technology into the solar array. While some less-than-honest solar companies will gladly skip these important components and forge ahead with solar panels alone, we understand that installing solar without addressing demand means a missed opportunity for even more savings and greater freedom.
As an SRP Preferred Solar Installer, we have helped thousands of SRP customers beat SRP's demand game. Let's take a closer look at how we do it.
To squash SRP’s demand fees, we combine one of two options with traditional solar panels: a demand manager or a home battery. Demand managers are significantly more affordable than batteries, but they require behavioral changes in order to maximize savings. A battery, on the other hand, is much-more hands-off than a demand manager, but the cost of a battery is significantly higher. Let’s take a quick look at each device.
About the size of a shoebox and generally installed near your service panel, a demand manager uses smart software to help you balance the use of high-energy appliances during on-peak hours. Our system designers work with homeowners to identify those appliances that require the most electricity, such as a/c units, pool pumps, or water heaters.
When activated, the demand manager carefully balances these pre-selected loads to prevent multiple devices from turning on at the same time. This balancing act dramatically reduces costly demand spikes while maximizing comfort. Demand manager settings can be easily adjusted for additional savings, or anytime a homeowner's energy profile change.
Larger and costlier than a simple demand manage, a home battery works by storing your excess solar energy for use later. Most SRP customers configure their battery to discharge during on-peak hours. By eliminating the need to purchase energy from SRP during the costlier on-peak time periods, homeowners avoid demand fees entirely. In addition, batteries can be configured to power select appliances during a power outage, adding a welcome layer of security to a home. To learn more about home batteries, visit here.
