Location
Cadiz, KY
Solar Size
10kW
Equipment Installed
REC solar panels & Tesla Powerwalls
Storage Capability
27kWh - backs up one 200amp service panel
“One morning we woke up to tornado warnings, and power was out in the neighborhood. Our system kept us going until the grid came back again. Love the Powerwall!” – Jan Culwell
Jan and Ken Culwell of Cadiz, Kentucky, supply the majority of their home’s electricity from 34 solar panels and two Tesla Powerwalls.
LightWave Solar installed the Powerwall system in June 2019, and the couple has seen their electric bills plummet. A bill comparison of July 2019 versus July 2018 shows a 73% drop in grid consumption.
The system reduces their 3,000 square foot home’s grid reliance on a daily and nightly basis, and it also provides backup power.
During grid outages, the system provides electricity to one 200-amp service panel, allowing the Culwells to power their kitchen, master bedroom and bathroom, washer/dryer, EV charger, and internet, among other items.
Soon after installation, they experienced a brief grid outage, unbeknownst to them. (Now, the app alerts them to grid outages.)
“The lights didn’t even flutter,” says Ken Culwell. “Our neighbor told us, so we checked our Tesla app and saw the grid failure and how our battery system took over automatically,” he says.
The Culwells chose Tesla Powerwalls since they provide industry-leading backup capabilities and can be easily monitored with the Tesla app which tracks home energy use, solar generation, battery status, backup history and grid consumption.
“We look at the Tesla app embarrassingly often,” jokes Jan Culwell. “We love it, and since I can see our electricity use in real time, I’ve started to change the way I use power to reduce our demand and save more,” she says.
Jan and Ken Culwell each thought solar was a good idea but assumed the other might not want to spend the money. When they finally discussed it, they realized they both wanted to power their home with clean, renewable solar power instead of using grid power. Their new Tesla Powerwall batteries replaced their backup generator.
Watch video to hear about their experience!
