Sunrun Inc. made the push to change Florida’s rules concerning solar leases and is now officially ready to offer solar-as-a-service and its Brightbox home battery in the Sunshine State. Beginning June 7, Floridians will be able to lease solar equipment that enables them to create their own solar electricity year-round using their rooftop, as well as the Brightbox home battery system, that keeps lights on during power outages this hurricane season. Sunrun is the nation’s largest residential solar, storage and energy services company.
Home solar is expected to continue its expansion in Florida through this offering, with Sunrun aiming to bring hundreds of jobs to the state in the coming years.
“Freedom is a value Americans hold dear. In offering Floridians solar-as-a-service, households in the Sunshine State are given the freedom to make, control, and store their own energy,” said Lynn Jurich, Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Sunrun. “Unfortunately, too many Floridians have experienced first hand the effects of extreme weather and power outages. Home solar and batteries provide peace of mind and backup power when disaster strikes, keeping food fresh and the lights on.”
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Sunrun’s solar-as-a-service product in Florida is an affordable, easy and reliable way for people to power their homes without dealing with the upfront cost of solar panels, equipment and installation. Sunrun also fully maintains and insures the system, offering households an accessible and hassle-free option for going solar.
In addition to solar-as-a-service, Sunrun will also begin offering its home solar and battery system, Brightbox. Brightbox provides backup electricity to households in the event of a power outage. During Hurricane Irma, more than 15 million Floridians lost power. This translates to more than 70 percent of the state’s population. In total, there were more than 14 collective days without power in Florida in 2017, coming from 79 individual outages. Brightbox enables households to power through storms and outages.
Unlike a generator, Brightbox is recharged daily by the sun and reliably delivers clean electricity. This home battery system can replace noisy natural gas or diesel generators commonly used for backup power, and could have significant health and community benefits in Florida.
“Sunrun’s new solar lease will give Central Florida residents greater access clean energy choices, lower energy costs, and continued momentum for local job growth in our state’s renewable energy market,” State Senator Linda Stewart (D-Orlando) said. “This is the Sunshine State and Floridians should be able to take full advantage of an abundant, emissions-free energy source that contributes to a healthier community while remaining affordable.”
“As an advocate for consumer choice, I am excited to see new options for Floridians that will make solar more affordable and accessible to residents across the state,” said State Senator Jeff Brandes (R-St. Petersburg). “With our population projected to grow by five million people by 2030, the time for Floridians to invest in energy diversity is now.”
Sunrun now has a presence in 23 states and the District of Columbia.
— Solar Builder magazine
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