The tale was first shown on “Marketplace” on December 6, 2024.
Listen
It’s not looking good for Texans who want to maintain power in the case of a winter storm. If there is a strong winter storm, there is an 80% risk of blackouts, according to the Texas grid operator ERCOT.
As it happens, ERCOT’s meteorologist recently stated this week that the winter weather this year is resembling that of 2021, when a significant winter storm knocked down power throughout the entire state. However, because of what’s on, inside, or near their homes, many Texans are better prepared for when storms and outages do occur this winter.
Mike Dishberger, a Houstonian, has had enough of blackouts. He built battery storage and solar panels last year. Then, this summer, Hurricane Beryl knocked off power.
“With the battery backup,” Dishberger stated, “we got through the whole night.”
Dishberger, a Houston home builder, stated that buyers want their homes to be ready, particularly in light of the outages that occurred last summer.
According to Dishberger, “They want to know what you’re doing.” Solar panels are currently being installed in several of my properties after I sell them.
Energy Star is the name of his houses. In an outage, they remain hot (or cold) for longer and are more efficient.
“A lot of people will say, Can you increase the insulation in the attic or maybe between the bedroom floor in the garage below you, possibly?'” “Dishberger said.”
Additionally, the electrical provider Base Power and home builder Lennar are collaborating to put backup power batteries in new homes in Austin and Dallas.
“For a Lennar customer, a new home buyer here in Texas, especially if they re moving from out of state, they have this sort of added resiliency that they might not have otherwise had they gone to either another home builder or had bought a home without a backup solution,” Justin Lopas, COO of Base Power, said.
Base Power owns and runs the battery and provides free installation for their electrical consumers.
“So, we get access to the battery when the grid up and running to serve the Texas grid, and the homeowner gets access to the battery when the grid goes off,” Lopas explained.
Mark Kresowik of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy advocates for building to the highest efficiency standards, even though batteries are an excellent backup power source during blackouts.
“Installing insulation and air sealing can be the difference between life and death for people,” Kresowik stated.
New homes constructed in accordance with 2021 construction rules may remain livable for days longer than older homes, according to a Department of Energy research. Many states and cities have yet to update their building rules, he said.
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!
