Who is ERCOT and How Do They Affect Your Texans’ Power?

Howdy folks! When it comes to electricity, most Texans don’t realize they’re renting their power from the grid managed by the Energy Reliability Council of Texas, also known as ERCOT. But there’s a better way: owning your power supply with rooftop solar panels. Not only does solar save you money, it builds valuable equity in your home.

As you know, ERCOT oversees our state’s electrical grid which serves about 90% of Texas. However, ERCOT doesn’t actually own or operate power plants or transmission lines. ERCOT is vulnerable to disruptions from extreme weather, as we learned in the 2021 winter storm disaster. Millions were left freezing in blackouts. This summer, the summer of 2023, you might have also seen ERCOT issuing warnings about grid blackouts due to extreme heat and energy demand.

Relying solely on ERCOT’s grid is clearly risky. Adding solar panels and battery backup power provides resilience when Texas’ energy grid fails or becomes more susceptible to power shortages during a blackout. With your own freestanding renewable energy system, you gain power independence no matter what happens statewide.

The way we always explain it is, power bills are like any monthly rental payment. The fees just line the pockets of big utility companies. Each month when you pay your utility bill, you can kiss those dollars goodbye as you will never see them again. There is no return on your investment when it comes to a standard utility bill. With solar, you are paying to own your power, investing that money into your renewable energy system and into your home.

Homeowners who go solar see benefits beyond lowering electricity costs. Studies show houses with PV systems sell for around 7% more than comparable non-solar homes. Why pay a premium? Because your rooftop energy system adds concrete value to your home and because the buyer can expect a more economical long-term power bill. Solar panels, battery backup power, and generators make your home much more attractive to buyers down the road who want lower bills and greater power independence. Going solar proves you’ve invested in an asset that cushions against ERCOT’s volatile outages and grid instability.

That peace of mind is crucial here in Texas after the winter storm of 2021 showed our grid’s fragility. Now more than ever, homeowners want the resilience that rooftop solar and battery backup power provides. At North Texas Solar, we take time to understand both your current energy costs and future needs before recommending a system. Our team models usage and designs photovoltaic arrays sized to offset 90-110% of your monthly energy consumption. We also advise on battery storage or a generator to keep the lights on when ERCOT fails. By determining your optimal solar investment, we ensure you maximize savings and home value improvements.

We believe Texans deserve energy security and choice. Unfortunately, Texas’ deregulated energy market and ERCOT’s management of the grid can make that right difficult to come by lately. Going solar and investing into a renewable energy system is one amazing way to capture power independence for your household while also saving money. Additionally, the equity gained from owning your power supply is too substantial to ignore. With incentives, there’s never been a better time to break free of rental payments to big utility companies.

Contact North Texas Solar to learn how much you can save with solar. Take control of your home’s energy instead of passively renting it. Let’s chat about your goals and find the best solar solutions for your needs and budget. Invest in your home’s future with rooftop solar!