Turn Your Electric Vehicle Into a Whole-Home Backup Power System

Why Install V2H for Your Home?

Michigan homeowners face unique energy challenges from severe weather outages to rising electricity costs. V2H technology addresses these problems head-on while delivering benefits that pay dividends year after year. Here’s what you gain when Strawberry Solar installs a V2H system in your home.

Benefit #1: Emergency Backup Power During Outages

Power outages are becoming more frequent across Michigan. Whether it’s summer storms, winter ice or aging infrastructure, losing electricity means more than inconvenience. It means spoiled food, no heating or cooling and being cut off from the essentials your family depends on.

With V2H technology, your electric vehicle becomes a silent automatic backup power system that keeps your entire home running:

• Lights stay on so your family feels safe and secure
• Refrigerators and freezers keep running protecting hundreds of dollars in groceries
• Medical devices remain operational for family members who depend on them
• Heating and cooling systems work maintaining comfortable temperatures
• Internet and phones stay connected keeping you in touch during emergencies
• Sump pumps continue operating protecting your basement from flooding

How long will your power last? Most V2H systems provide 3-7 days of backup power with normal usage. Larger battery EVs like the Chevy Silverado EV can power your home for up to 21 days with some conservation. That’s far longer than most outages last.

No generators needed. Forget about noisy gas generators that require fuel storage, regular maintenance and produce emissions. Your V2H system activates automatically within seconds of an outage and runs whisper-quiet.

Benefit #2: Lower Your Energy Costs with Smart Power Management

DTE Energy customers pay significantly more for electricity during peak hours (3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays). During summer months (June-September), peak rates jump to 22 cents per kWh while off-peak rates drop to just 16 cents per kWh. That’s a 38% difference.

V2H lets you beat peak pricing:

1. Charge your EV overnight or on weekends when rates are lowest (16 cents/kWh)
2. During expensive peak hours, use the stored energy from your EV instead of buying from the grid at 22 cents/kWh
3. Your energy management system handles this automatically based on your preferences

The savings add up fast. A typical Michigan home uses about 10-15 kWh during the 4-hour peak period each weekday. By using your EV’s stored power instead of grid electricity during these hours, you could save:

• Summer months: $50-75 per month in peak rate avoidance
• Year-round savings: $400-700 annually depending on usage patterns

For families with time-of-use rates, V2H technology transforms your EV from a vehicle into a money-saving energy asset that pays for itself over time.

Benefit #3: Maximize Your Solar Investment

If you’ve invested in solar panels, you already know the frustration: your panels produce excess energy during the day when you’re at work and electricity is cheaper, then you buy power back at night when it’s more expensive. Net metering helps but you’re essentially selling your solar energy wholesale and buying it back retail.

V2H solves this problem by turning your EV into solar storage:

• Morning: Solar panels start generating electricity as the sun rises
• Daytime: Excess solar energy charges your EV battery instead of going back to the grid
• Evening: Use that stored solar power to run your home when the sun sets
• Night: Your home runs on clean solar energy you produced and stored yourself

Create a closed-loop renewable energy system. With V2H and solar working together, you can achieve near-complete energy independence. You’re no longer dependent on utility companies or subject to their rate changes. You produce it, you store it, you use it.

Better economics than selling back to the grid. Instead of receiving wholesale rates for excess solar production, you’re using 100% of your solar energy on-site at full retail value. This dramatically improves your solar ROI.

Environmental impact multiplied. When you pair V2H with solar, you’re powering both your home and your transportation with clean renewable energy. Your carbon footprint drops significantly.

Benefit #4: Energy Independence and Control

Michigan’s power grid faces increasing strain from extreme weather, aging infrastructure and growing demand. Rolling blackouts and planned outages may become more common as utilities struggle to maintain reliable service.

V2H gives you independence from these problems:

• Reduce grid dependency by using your own stored energy during peak demand
• Avoid rolling blackouts when utilities implement load shedding
• Control your energy usage instead of being at the mercy of utility schedules
• Protect against rate increases by storing power when rates are low
• Maintain power during planned outages for maintenance or repairs

Peace of mind for your family. Knowing your home can operate independently from the grid for days or weeks provides invaluable security. You’re not wondering if the power will stay on. You’re not worrying about spoiled food or uncomfortable temperatures. You’re in control.

Grid-friendly technology. While V2H gives you independence, it also helps the entire grid operate more efficiently. By reducing demand during peak hours, you’re easing strain on the utility infrastructure and helping prevent broader outages.

Benefit #5: Reduce Your Environmental Impact

Climate change is already affecting Michigan with more severe storms, temperature extremes and unpredictable weather. Every step toward clean energy makes a difference.

V2H technology supports environmental goals:

• Lower carbon emissions when paired with solar power
• Maximize renewable energy use by storing solar production instead of wasting it
• Reduce fossil fuel dependency for both transportation and home energy
• Support grid stability during peak demand periods when utilities rely on dirtier “peaker plants”
• Improve air quality in your community by reducing reliance on fossil fuel generation

Double the impact of your EV. You already made an environmentally conscious choice by buying an electric vehicle. V2H technology multiplies that impact by using your EV’s battery to displace fossil fuel-generated electricity in your home.

Help Michigan’s clean energy transition. As more homeowners adopt V2H technology, it creates distributed energy storage across the grid. This makes it easier to integrate renewable energy sources and reduce reliance on coal and natural gas plants.

Lead by example. When your neighbors see your lights on during outages and hear about your energy savings, you’re demonstrating how clean technology delivers real practical benefits. You’re helping accelerate the adoption of sustainable solutions.