sonnen Blog

Coming from Boston, wildfires aren’t a threat I’m used to, or comfortable with. Many low-income Californians already struggle to make ends meet, and the threat of wildfires here in California is relentless and very real. It’s in my nature as an empath to feel and find a way to help because I believe we’re all in this together, and the impact sonnen is making (and will make) with virtual power plant technology is larger than what I imagined.

— By Kelsey Lord, sonnen Channel Manager - Energy Automation

A question I get asked a lot is, “How long will battery backup with an AC coupled solar system last? My customer has a limited budget.” There are so many variables to think about here — from the size of the battery to what the customer wants to back up in an outage. Luckily, a homeowner who purchased our smallest energy storage system, a 5kWh sonnen eco, was game to let me perform a real operational test and cut power to his unit to simulate a power outage. This test was a real eye-opener for this homeowner, and I promise the story has a happy ending!

— By Greg Smith, sonnen Technical Training Manager

Did you know 36 million Americans were affected by power outages in 2017? Read about the everyday consequences families face as a result of increasing power outages and how energy automation can help.

— By Kelsey Lord, sonnen Channel Manager - Energy Automation

In 2017, Maryland was the first state in the nation to pass a bill, SB 758, enabling state taxpayers to claim an income tax credit for energy storage devices, whether they are paired with solar or stand-alone storage,.  Maryland has reiterated this commitment again with the Maryland Energy Administration’s (MEA) announcement of the launch of the Tax Year 2020 Maryland Energy Storage Income Tax Credit Program (the program)... 

— By Ani Backa, sonnen Director of Regulatory, Legislative, and Utility Initiatives

When it comes to home electricity, reliability is crucial. Read 4 key applications of residential energy storage — from backup power to energy automation.

— By Sarah Dresher, sonnen Specification Mannager

During this time of uncertainty, energy security remains a top priority for homeowners. Check out 5 reasons why you should incorporate smart management technology into your designs.

— By Sarah Dresher, sonnen Specification Manager

Those of us who are privileged to be able to work from home throughout the COVID-19 shelter-in-place orders are at the mercy of our utilities for reliable power. During last year’s wildfire season, planned public safety power outages plagued California for months, and this past week, Utah experienced a 5.9 magnitude earthquake and seasonal severe weather knocked out power to thousands. Considering that “non-essential” businesses like coffee houses, libraries, and shared workspaces have closed their doors, a residential power outage impedes our ability to work. So how do we protect against these threats to our abilities to earn an income from home?...

— By Jenise Granvold, sonnen Regional Sales Manager

We hear a lot about Millennial's but did you know that the oldest members of the next generation are already 24 years old? That's right GEN Y is now graduating college and moving into the workforce and into the multifamily leasing market in larger and larger numbers. So what do we know about this generation? One thing that we know is that this is the first "Born Green" generation, All the generations prior experienced the rise of sustainability, this generation was born into it...

— By Rich Salinas, sonnen Channel Specialist