EtaCar Energy

A basic emergency energy kit doesn't need to be complicated. Per Ready.gov: at least 1 gallon of water per person, per day, for a minimum of 3 days; a battery-powered or hand-crank flashlight (candles are a fire hazard, best avoided); a NOAA weather radio; a portable power bank for phones; a first aid kit with any prescription medications; and some cash in small bills, since card readers and ATMs won't work without power. None of it needs to be fancy — it just needs to already be there when you need it.

El tamaño correcto de un sistema de energía no es una cifra estándar. Depende de la orientación de su techo, cuánta sombra reciben de árboles cercanos, y su consumo real de electricidad durante los últimos 12 meses, no un promedio general. Herramientas como PVWatts, del laboratorio nacional NREL, toman en cuenta su ubicación exacta y las condiciones de su techo para dar un número mucho más preciso. Dos casas en la misma calle pueden necesitar tamaños muy distintos.

“Grid-tied” is one of the most common terms you'll see on a quote, so here's what it means: a grid-tied system stays connected to the utility and doesn't require a battery, which keeps upfront cost lower. A “hybrid” system adds battery storage on top of that same grid connection. One safety detail worth knowing: for standard grid-tied systems, the system automatically shuts off during a utility outage — a feature called anti-islanding that protects utility workers repairing the lines. Without a battery, that also means no backup power during an outage, sunny day or not.

Net metering gets used a lot without much explanation, so here's what it means: when a home energy system produces more electricity than the home is using — usually around midday — the extra power flows out to the grid, and a special meter tracks it. The utility credits that exported electricity back to the homeowner's account, which can offset electricity pulled from the grid later, even in a different season. How much a credit is worth varies — some utilities credit the full retail rate, others a lower rate closer to wholesale, per SEIA. That difference matters when sizing a system.

Home battery myths can make backup energy seem more complicated than it is. 🔋

Fire risk, outage coverage, and battery size all deserve context—not assumptions.

The right system starts with understanding your actual needs.

Learn more at your own pace: etacarenergy.com

A light bulb may seem like one of the smallest energy decisions in your home—but the purchase price is only part of the story.

Traditional incandescent bulbs use considerably more electricity to produce the same amount of light as modern LED alternatives. They also have much shorter lifespans, which means you’re not only paying for more electricity—you’re replacing them more often.

One bulb may not seem significant. Multiply that difference across every frequently used fixture in a home, then stretch it across several years, and the lifetime cost becomes much easier to see.

That’s why understanding energy efficiency isn’t about replacing everything at once. It’s about knowing where everyday choices can quietly affect your energy use and deciding what makes sense for your home.