The beautiful city of Opelika is home to around 30,240 happy residents. Among that group, there are approximately 13,167 different households. Each household uses energy from day-to-day–whether it’s for keeping the lights on, doing a load or two of laundry, or making dinner. Though many people know the difficulties of dealing with power shortages, it turns out that living in a town with excess energy is a whole different ballgame. Well, Opelika—and the Alabama Municipal Electric Authority—are innovating just how they’ll interact with the situation. In fact, here’s how the city of Opelika is taking steps to use excess energy.
How Does Energy Become “Excess”?
It takes a certain amount of energy to power a home. This number depends on residents, the size of the house, how often energy is used, and so on. Sometimes, when homes do not use all of the energy that they are allotted, they encounter excess energy.
Though it may sound like a troubling term, don’t be worried. Extra energy simply returns to the power grid. Because of that phenomenon, the city of Opelika is taking steps to use excess energy and make the most of the town’s power.
Is Excess Energy a Problem for Opelika Residents?
For some places, like Germany, excess energy can actually be a problem. With more energy than people are using, companies are left with a surplus of the resource. In some cases, power companies have even had to offer sums of money to encourage people to use their extra power.
Though it’s unlikely that this interesting situation will become the case in Opelika, one key fact remains: this phenomenon can only benefit consumers and homeowners in their everyday lives.
How Will Opelika Deal with Excess Energy?
This new phenomenon is possible thanks, in part, to solar energy. Solar panels allow us access to one of the most renewable sources of energy: sunlight. Though installing solar panels costs money, the light that they absorb from the sun is completely free. Even better, this means that utilities and power will cost even less for those who have solar panels at their homes. Solar panels also come with the added bonus of providing an abundance of energy—energy that can mean an excess of power.
When there is an excess of power, this new deal has allowed Alabama Municipal Electric Authority to buy the extra energy. Notably, they will only be buying energy from places that use small energy generation.
Conclusion
Now that the city of Opelika is taking steps to use excess energy, this amazing city is looking even brighter. Whether you want to live in Opelika, Auburn, or Lake Martin, Ryan Roberts can help you find your ideal residence. Fill out this contact form to get started on buying or selling your home. Finally, to learn more about local traditions and listings, take a look at our blog.