Residents of America’s hurricane country are worried.
At the top of the year, NOAA predicted a harsh hurricane season ahead, largely thanks to record-high ocean temperatures.
Their predictions quickly proved accurate when Hurricane Beryl, the season’s first major storm, made landfall. It struck the Gulf Coast with winds exceeding 120 mph and relentless rainfall, causing widespread devastation. Its impact was profound, especially in Houston, where prolonged power outages exposed the region’s vulnerability – and its urgent need for reliable backup power.
Beryl has made it impossible to ignore the critical role of solar energy in enhancing community resilience. And now, with more hurricanes in the wind, demand is growing. Contractors need a plan to secure solar appointments with sale-ready customers if they want to make the most of it.
We dive into the details below, offering installers a path to maximum community impact.
When Beryl made landfall near Houston, it left a trail of destruction, damaging or destroying thousands of structures. Power lines were downed, roads flooded, and emergency services were overwhelmed. The storm caused over $5 billion in damages and resulted in 64 fatalities.
Over 1.2 million Houston residents were left without electricity, some for more than two weeks. The blackouts had far-reaching consequences, affecting everything from healthcare services to food supply chains. The prolonged lack of power exposed residents to dangerous heat conditions, compromised food and water safety and heightened security risks.
The Texas Tribune reported that the blackouts led to over 200 cases of heatstroke and heat exhaustion, with hospitals struggling to manage the influx of patients. First responders also saw a doubling in cases of carbon monoxide poisoning, due to improper use of gas generators for backup power.
Such chaos at only the opening of the season has made it clear: power resilience must become a priority, and its deployment must be swift. Residents of the region are now recognizing that they can’t afford to put off improvements. Moreover, they’ve now seen firsthand how solar can be the difference between disaster and inconvenience.
In stark contrast to the widespread despair, many homeowners with solar power installations weathered the storm without losing power. According to a report by Renewable Energy World, nearly 3,000 homes equipped with Sunnova’s solar and storage systems maintained power throughout the storm. This preparation was a lifeline for these residents, allowing them to stay safer amid the chaos.
Brent McNiel’s home just outside Houston remained powered throughout the hurricane, thanks to his solar installation. This made it a critical hub for the community, providing relief via extension cords:
“During the outage, we were running three times the number of fridges, at least double the number of fans, and [hosting] an entire other family on a system that was really designed just for our small family of four,” he said.
As residents and local governments assess the damage and look for ways to improve future resilience, solar power installations are getting a lot of attention. The fallout of the blackouts and the clear benefits experienced by those with solar systems have pushed many to prioritize adoption. This momentum is only growing at the time of this article’s production, as Hurricane Debbie lashes Florida, causing its mass outages.
Residents who had previously hesitated are now seeing solar power as a necessary investment. They’re flocking to the market in mounting numbers, but not all are financially or practically prepared to install.
This presents a problem for contractors: while opportunity is abundant, losing too much time to homeowners who can’t act now will prevent them from serving as many households as they could.
Capitalizing on this demand lies in connecting with serious, ready-to-install customers. Grid Freedom eases this process by helping contractors find and meet with homeowners who are set to move forward with installation. This pre-screening, pre-booking approach minimizes time lost on leads that are not ready to convert, allowing contractors to make the most impact.
Installers can get exclusive pre-set appointments with homeowners who are eager to get their consultation and move on to the next stages. Grid Freedom delivers these leads without strings attached, under no binding contracts or subscriptions.
The agency uses a simplified model to ensure that contractors can quickly and easily access all of the customers they need. This approach results in outcomes that aren’t just great for contractors, but also for homeowners, who needn’t worry about the high-pressure sales tactics most other lead sourcing systems necessitate. It’s exactly what’s required in a region where solar must be expanded widely and rapidly, for the safety of all.