How Does Base Power Company Work?

Base Power Company is revolutionizing Texas's energy landscape.

Base Power is currently available in select Texas areas, including Austin, Waco, San Antonio, Houston, and Dallas-Fort Worth. They're growing fast and aim to solve Texas's energy problems while promoting cleaner power.

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What is Base Power Company?

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Company Background

Founded in 2023 by Zach Dell and Justin Lopas, they offer home energy services using distributed battery storage.

Zach Dell, co-founder, puts it this way:

"We believe that the existing power grid is outdated, it's really undersized, it's poorly maintained. And this unfortunately has led to unreliable power and volatile electricity prices for homeowners in the state."

They've raised $68 million from investors like Thrive Capital and Valor Equity Partners to grow across Texas.

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How It Works

Base Power's service has three main parts:

1. Home battery system

A big battery that backs up your home and helps balance the grid.

2. Monthly energy service

Base Power buys power from the grid and sells it to you, acting as your electric company.

3. Installation

They handle everything, making it easy to get started.

Here's what you get:

Backup power - Covers 97% of outages

Savings - 10-20% off your electric bill

Upfront cost - $2,000 for battery install

Monthly fee - Based on your home and energy use

Solar - Optional, not required

Their software manages the batteries and responds to grid events in real-time, keeping everything running smoothly.

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How Base Power's Home Energy Service Works

Base Power's service uses smart tech and batteries to keep your lights on and your wallet happy. Here's the scoop:

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The Stand-Alone Power System (SAPS)

The heart of Base Power's service is the SAPS. It's got:

This system can run solo, powering your home even when the grid's down. It's built to last 15 years and handle whatever Mother Nature throws at it.

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Solar + Battery + Grid = Power Perfection

Base Power mixes three power sources:

1. Solar panels (if you want 'em):

Make electricity during the day and feed extra juice to the battery.

2. Battery storage:

Holds power for later and keeps you running during outages.

3. Grid power:

Fills in when solar and battery need a hand. Also charges the battery when electricity's cheap.

This combo lets Base Power offer lower, fixed monthly bills. They're basically power shopping pros, buying when it's cheap and using stored energy when prices spike.

Power SourceWhat It DoesSolarPowers day, charges batteryBatteryNight power, outage backupGridBackup, cheap charging

Base Power's software juggles all this automatically. It switches between sources to keep your home powered and your bill in check.

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Zach Dell, Base Power's Co-founder, puts it this way:

"Base Power is the key to unlocking an energy abundant future through dispatchable, distributed battery storage."

In other words: They're making sure you've got power when you need it, without breaking the bank.

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Parts of Base Power's System

Base Power's system has four key components:

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Battery Storage

Batteries store excess energy for when the grid experiences blackouts.

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Energy Management System

This is the system's brain. It controls when energy is exported and how a customer is compensated.

Base Power combines these elements to give you reliable, clean energy and cut your bills. It's your personal power plant.

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What Customers Get

Base Power packs a punch with its customer benefits. Here's what you get:

Lower Energy Bills

Base Power cuts your energy costs:

Backup Power When Needed

No more sitting in the dark during outages:

Clean Energy Use

Go green without breaking the bank:

"Base Power brings Texans an affordable alternative to backup generators, while adding dispatchability to the grid and compensating residential customers fairly for their ongoing reliability contributions." - Becky Klein, former chair of the Public Utility Commission of Texas

Base Power delivers lower bills, reliable backup, and clean energy without the usual high upfront costs of home solar and battery systems.

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Base Power in Texas

Base Power is shaking up Texas energy. Here's what you need to know about this newcomer and how it differs from traditional power companies.

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Where to Get Base Power

Base Power is currently available in select Texas areas:

They're growing fast, with over 1,000 people on their waitlist.

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Common Questions

Here's what people want to know about Base Power:

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Who Can Use Base Power

Base Power is for homeowners in select Texas markets. The Texas grid operator, ERCOT, is quite progressive when it comes to new technologies like Base.

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How to Set Up Base Power

Getting Base Power is easy:

1. Consultation: Base checks if your home qualifies.

2. Enrollment: Sign up for service and battery agreements.

3. Paperwork: Sign permitting docs.

4. Installation: Schedule battery setup.

Base handles provider switching and covers up to $250 in cancellation fees.

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Battery Life and Care

The Base battery is tough:

Base owns and maintains the battery. You don't worry about upkeep.

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How Billing Works

Base Power keeps billing simple:

Auto-charged, view in customer app

Auto-pay and paperless by default

Below market average rates, guaranteed

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Orlando Perez, a Base customer in Round Rock, Texas, says:

"Getting a battery backup that lowers my electricity bill is a no-brainer."

Base only charges for home energy use, not battery charging or discharging. This keeps bills lower and more stable than traditional providers.

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What's Next for Base Power

Base Power is shaking up the electricity game. Here's their game plan:

Growing Fast

They're spreading across Texas like wildfire:

More Texans can now get backup power without breaking the bank.

Zach Dell, CEO, puts it bluntly:

"The pain every Texan feels in the summer and the winter is a preview of what may come nationwide."

Sounds like they're eyeing more than just Texas.

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Supercharging Battery Installs

Base Power's not messing around:

1. Speeding up installs

Going from one to two or three batteries a day. More power to more people, faster.

2. Teaming up with the grid

They've joined the ADER pilot program. Translation? Home batteries helping the whole grid.

3. Beefing up batteries

They're cooking up their own, bigger battery packs. Whole-home backup? You bet.

Jason Ryan from CenterPoint Energy's on board:

"More batteries in Texas homes and better value for customers means a better future for Texans."

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Flipping the Energy Script

Base Power could change the game:

Old SchoolBase Power StyleBig power plantsBatteries in every homeBlackout pronePower through 97% of outagesPrice rollercoasterSteadier, cheaper billsGrid struggles aloneBatteries pitch in

Justin Lopas, Co-founder, breaks it down:

"If the grid goes off, the battery automatically kicks in and you might not even know you're in an outage and the battery protects you from that outage."

What's this mean?

As Base Power grows, they might just solve Texas's energy headaches - and then some.

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Wrap-Up

Base Power Company is changing the Texas energy game. Here's what you need to know:

They install 20kWh batteries in homes, become your power company, and manage your energy use. This means backup power during outages and lower, steady energy bills without huge upfront costs.

Base Power's approach? Different. Instead of selling you an expensive battery, they charge just $3,000 for installation. That's a fraction of the $18,000 you might pay elsewhere.

"We're building Corolla batteries, not Lamborghini batteries." - Zach Dell, Co-founder and CEO of Base Power

This setup helps your wallet AND the power grid. Base Power creates a "virtual power plant" with its network of home batteries. This means more stable power for everyone, less grid strain, and faster clean energy adoption.

Why it matters:

IssueStatTX outages6x more than 10 years agoTX electricity pricesNearly doubled since 2017Battery pricesDown 82% in 10 years

Base Power's growth is telling:

As they expand, more Texans get reliable power without breaking the bank. It's about fixing a broken system.

"The existing power grid is broken. It's outdated, undersized and poorly maintained, leading to unreliable power and volatile prices." - Zach Dell, CEO of Base Power

Base Power's approach could reshape home energy. By making battery backup affordable and supporting the grid, they're tackling personal and systemic energy problems. As power needs grow and climate challenges increase, this might be what we need to keep the lights on.

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FAQs

How does Base Power work?

Base Power uses a stand-alone power system (SAPS) that works independently from regular power grids. Here's the breakdown:

1. Installation

Base Power puts a 20kWh battery and 11kW inverter in your home. You pay $2,000 for this.

2. Energy management

The system charges the battery using solar and grid power. It's your backup when the power goes out.

3. Grid support

During peak times, Base Power can send energy back to the grid. This helps balance supply and demand.

4. Fixed pricing

You pay a set monthly rate. It's usually less than what you paid before.

5. Maintenance

Base Power owns and takes care of the equipment for 15 years (that's how long the contract lasts).

"We guarantee that the battery always has power in it to protect your home from power outages." - Zach Dell, Co-founder of Base Power