Californians discover their solar panels don't work when PG&E shuts down the grid

WHOOPS! It seems that all those people who had solar panels installed on their roofs but didn’t pay the extra money for a battery system in their homes are finding out that said solar panels are worthless once PG&E shut down the grid in northern California to prevent brush fires:

California residents are learning their solar panels can't keep the lights on amid PG&E power cuts.

Here's why solar panels don't work in blackouts #CalilforniaBlackout pic.twitter.com/GWa4ZtasKB

— Bloomberg TicToc (@tictoc) October 11, 2019

Solar panels will be mandatory on all news homes in California next year. Batteries? Not mandatory:

Beginning in 2020, it will be mandatory for all new homes in California to be built with solar panels. Though, Camp Fire survivors are exempt. Details in the link. https://t.co/3gQMdw6Plm

— Action News Now (@ActionNewsNow) September 11, 2019

As of the writing of this post, “nearly 200K” are still without power in northern California:

Nearly 200K still without power. Well below the 740K PG&E customers who lost electricity at peak of shutoff https://t.co/9hRJB8paF5 pic.twitter.com/G5MdBxc4jW

— KTVU (@KTVU) October 11, 2019

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