Utilities are in business to make money. So it’s no surprise that your electric bills will keep going up.

You may not know it, but since 2022 the United States has been energy independent. As a country, we produce more energy (mostly fossil fuels) than we consume. Unfortunately, the benefits of energy independence do not trickle down to homeowners. Fossil fuel companies and utilities keep those profits while consumers keep paying more and more for energy.

Unless your name is Jed Clampett, it is not feasible to drill an oil well in your back yard. But you can do the next best thing: put solar panels on your roof and add a battery backup system. One of the key benefits of rooftop solar and storage is that this energy can also go to fuel your EV, as well as heat and cool your house with a heat pump.

With a properly designed solar and battery system it’s easy to slash your electric bills in half. This level of electricity cost reduction is termed "partial grid defection." And if you have enough roof space you can even get a check back from your utility because you are producing more energy than you consume — basically total grid defection. The same concept works for commercial and industrial customers who install solar and batteries.

Don’t wait for the next big jump in electric rates. Or the next blackout. Listen to this week's electrifying Energy Show episode and celebrate your own Energy Independence Day.