Solar & Storage Stability: How America Can Maintain Energy Security Through Severe Weather

When extreme weather threatens lives and livelihoods, solar and battery storage are there to deliver energy security for the American people. Extreme weather events, from scorching heat waves to destructive hurricanes to frigid winter storms, are constantly challenging our aging infrastructure. When power lines fall or gas plants freeze, distributed solar and energy storage can be life savers, and over the past several years, these technologies are increasingly stepping up to deliver reliability and safety when it matters most.

Heat Waves

When the sun is at its hottest and demand peaks, solar power is a crucially important generation source. This June, large swaths of the country were scorched by a severe heat wave that stressed our aging grid. Demand for air conditioning soared, gas plants needed to reduce capacity, and the heat threatened rolling blackouts across the region. Thankfully, solar paired with battery storage stepped up to provide cool relief for American families. In New England, solar panels and a network of batteries supplied several gigawatts of power in key moments, saving households an estimated $20 million.

This is no isolated incident. As heat waves have become more frequent and severe in recent years, solar and storage have been working overtime to make sure the AC stays on and people stay safe. Texas has led new solar additions for the last several years, and those investments have shored up resources in response to a heat wave in 2023 and have strengthened the grid in preparation for this summer. During Europe’s record heat wave this June, solar generation set records in 13 countries and was the largest source of electricity for the EU in June.

Hurricanes

When hurricanes threaten coastal communities, solar and storage provide life-saving energy resilience, powering recovery efforts and connecting families after the storm. After Hurricane Helene ravaged North Carolina, solar + storage’s ability to function separate from traditional grid systems provided a lifeline to communities across the state. Powering flashlights, power tools, and cell phone chargers for communication, solar and storage were critical to relief efforts.

Solar microgrids aren’t just a quick fix in the aftermath, either. They’re a resilient choice for communities in storm after storm. Babcock Ranch — a Florida community powered entirely by solar microgrids — has been directly in the path of powerful hurricanes like Ian and has never lost power.

Winter Weather

Winter storms present special challenges to traditional energy infrastructure. During the February 2021 Texas Freeze, natural gas infrastructure like wellheads, pipelines, and compressor stations froze, cutting off fuel to generators and flipped off more than 52,000 megawatts of power. At least 4.5 million homes and businesses lost power, and more than 200 people lost their lives. Overreliance on a few large power plants made the Texas grid vulnerable. In response, the state has invested more than any other in new utility-scale solar projects since 2021. When severe winter storms hit again in 2024, Texas was prepared with a mixture of energy strategies, and solar + storage were there to lighten the load.

Time after time, solar and storage step up when it counts most. That’s why more states are doubling down on solar and storage investments to keep grids running safely, reliably, and affordably. Simply put, solar and storage provide distributed, resilient energy that suffers fewer unexpected outages than traditional power plants, protecting communities and delivering energy security for families when they need it most.

Article from Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).