Power Hour

California has installed so much solar capacity that it generates more electricity than needed during midafternoon hours, with the surplus going unused even as the grid faces potential shortages in the evening when solar output drops. One proposal gaining attention: give low-income consumers free power from 1 pm to 3 pm to absorb the excess and ease evening demand.

Homeowners in Arizona are questioning whether rooftop solar panels pay off, prompting responses from solar owners. According to The Cool Down, those with installations say the real turning point comes when adding battery storage, which changes the financial math by letting households store power for evening peak-rate hours rather than selling it back cheaply. The discussion reflects ongoing debate over payback periods for solar in a state with abundant sunshine but complex utility pricing.

Home and garden coverage explains that solar bird bath fountains often underperform in autumn. Shorter days, weaker sunlight and falling leaves that clog pump intakes reduce power and water flow, meaning the fountains may sputter or stop even when working fine in summer. The advice circulating is to keep panels clear of debris and accept reduced output as daylight hours shrink.

A UK household on Octopus Energy's Happy Hours tariff has found a counterintuitive quirk: plugging in the electric car triggers a cheaper per-kW rate, so it works out more economical to run the house battery and appliances instead of charging the vehicle. With the tariff dropping the price from 33p to 8p per kW once the car draws power, the user says either way it amounts to free electricity.

A California homeowner who was unable to install solar panels has reportedly turned to Tesla's Powerwall 3 battery to cut energy costs, using stored power during PG&E's expensive peak-rate hours. The story is being shared by outlets covering sustainable living and energy savings, highlighting batteries as an alternative route to lower bills when rooftop solar is not an option.

A Colorado electrical substation lost power twice in two days after two squirrels contacted unprotected equipment. Nearly all of the facility's components were fitted with wildlife guards, but the animals reached the parts that were not covered. The first outage cut electricity to 4,400 customers for more than two hours; the second affected 1,300 customers for about 40 minutes.

The Supreme Court has agreed to consider whether judges have the power to extend polling hours, but will not take up the case until after the November election. The timing means the question of judicial authority over voting hours will remain unresolved during the upcoming vote, drawing attention from election watchers concerned about how disputes at the polls would be handled this year.

Several countries are walking back nuclear phase-outs. Belgium has scrapped its law mandating an exit from nuclear power, Spain extended operations at the Almaraz plant until 2030, and Taiwan plans to reopen a reactor it shut last year. Commentators note that keeping old reactors running is far cheaper than building new ones, with US new-build costs at $175–255 per megawatt-hour.

The US Supreme Court has agreed to consider whether judges have the power to extend polling hours, but the case will not be heard until after the November election. The timing means any ruling on judicial authority over voting hours will come after voters have already gone to the polls, drawing attention to how courts handle election-related disputes during a campaign.

A man powered his entire home for a full 24 hours using a Chinese electric vehicle battery, according to a report circulating in motoring and technology circles. The stunt highlights how large EV battery packs can double as household energy storage, a topic drawing growing interest as home backup power and vehicle-to-grid charging gain attention among EV owners.