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ALTON - While GRID Solar does not sell electric vehicles, they can answer all of your questions about how EVs work with solar systems.
Ryan Wagner, co-owner of GRID Solar, talks to a lot of people who want to know more about how solar systems affect electric vehicles. He explained that a solar system can power an EV without overworking the system, and the EV can act as a battery to boost your home’s solar system.
“You want somebody who’s thought of this in a holistic way, every aspect of this,” Wagner said. “I own solar. My car is powered by the sun. I have a gas station built on top of my house. It’s called a solar power system. Now with my solar power system, I can run my entire house and have a $0 power bill. I can also run my EV and have a $0 per month gas bill, no more oil changes, no more of that type of regular maintenance on the car. My house becomes a hub that can now power more of my life.”
Wagner shared that he is “a numbers guy and clearly a solar nerd,” so he has done a lot of research. He believes that EVs save more money because you are paying for energy at a lower rate than the cost of gasoline.
He noted that if you have a solar system, you are already paying little to nothing on your power bill. This makes an EV even more cost-effective.
On Jan. 1, 2025, the net metering policy in Illinois will change. GRID has started installing all solar systems with a battery backup because they say this is now more advantageous for customers under the new net metering policy. Wagner said that EV companies are also responding to the net metering change.
“One of the EVs that we’re looking for is a little more forward-thinking than a lot of them today,” he explained. “We all know that net metering has gotten trashed and everything like that, and batteries are now required for solar to be the most cost-efficient use of your money, right? So the EV companies are kind of seeing that and they’re like, ‘Hey, we’re driving around a huge battery.’ So a lot of the EV companies are basically making the battery in your EV a two-way battery to where it can power the car, but if it has a little extra and you need some energy for your house, it can power your house too.”
Wagner said that Ameren has a program where they will charge less for energy if you agree to charge your EV at a certain time. This prevents a surge of electricity use, which puts strain on the grid. GRID Solar is happy to talk with you more about this discount and how it works.
If you already have a solar system and you’re curious how an EV would affect it, Wagner encourages you to reach out. He noted that it’s possible to add onto your solar system so that it produces enough electricity for your home and your car. He also reminds customers that anyone who currently has a solar system in Illinois will be grandfathered into the new net metering policy.
“Our message to anybody who’s thinking about getting an EV and already has solar: Ameren will let you put additional solar on your roof as long as you don’t double the size of your system, and they’ll let you keep your old net metering rule,” he explained. “That is very huge.”
For more information about how solar systems work and how they can power different elements of your home, visit GRID Solar’s official website at GRIDSolarLLC.com or their Facebook page. Wagner said GRID is “staying busy,” but they’re always eager to talk to people about how solar can work for them. You can also stop by their kiosk at St. Clair Square throughout the holiday season.
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