Between heavy rains, flash flood warnings, and extreme heat conditions, this has been a summer to remember in Manhattan, New York. Even more unsettling is the recent 2023 Power Trends report by the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO). According to NYISO, the high demand and the struggle to replace fossil fuels with renewable resources are lowering the power grid’s reliability margins statewide. By 2025, the shortfall could reach 446 megawatts, too many for the estimated electrical supply in average weather conditions.

What does that mean to those of us who live in New York? Energy shortfalls may lead to planned rolling blackouts, especially during periods of high heat. Many of you probably remember the outages in July 2022, when thousands of New York City residents lost power amid an extreme heat wave.

There is, however, some good news. Smart energy management systems offer an exceptional method to reduce your reliance on the grid, create a greener home, and lower energy costs. Let’s explore what these systems provide and how homeowners are taking control of their power. 

SEE ALSO: Turn Your House Into a Home with Smart Home Automation

SMART ENERGY REDEFINED 

Smart homes and smart energy go hand in hand, thanks to Savant, a leader in luxury home automation. Savant smart energy provides homeowners with seamless control over multiple power resources.

First, our experts at Electronic Environments set up a system that enables your home to create energy, including solar arrays and backup generator power. In the past, energy generated from the sun could only be used when the sun was out, leaving peak usage periods without green power. An energy management system stores the power from the sun in batteries. This power can be used whenever needed, night or day.

CONTROLLING YOUR HOME’S ENERGY

Then, we install technology that monitors and controls all your home’s circuits. Pulling up the Savant app lets you see which circuits use the most energy and at what time of day. This same app allows you to easily manage solar, battery, or backup generator energy sources. With one touch, you can disconnect from the utility grid and run your whole home on green energy or select certain circuits to use the sun’s power or the energy stored in batteries.

To reduce the strain on the power grid, utility companies often raise rates during peak usage hours. Time-of-use charges can be up to twice as much as off-peak rates. With smart energy management, you can limit your usage during these times, reducing consumption while lowering your energy bill.

Because these systems are smart, they also keep a watchful eye on the weather. If a severe storm is expected, the system prioritizes charging the battery to 100% and reserving the energy for up to 72 hours in case of a power outage due to the coming storm. Should the power go out, you'll receive a notification no matter where you are in the world, and your system automatically directs stored energy to the essential circuits.  

Are you ready to take control of your home’s energy? To learn more about smart energy management or to schedule a complimentary consultation, contact Electronic Environments today.