in the US are experiencing record high temperatures.

Heat waves are creating a higher demand for electricity

and straining the already aging US electric grid,

increasing the risk of blackouts.

Here's how renewable energy sources,

like solar, could help maintain the grid and at what cost.

- A customer-led revolution to solar

and storage is the ultimate fastest solution

to climate change and to the grid demands of the future.

- [Announcer] Mary Powell is the CEO of SunRun,

a company that provides residential solar services.

- [Mary] Solar on the customer's rooftop is interconnected

with the grid.

So when the customer's home and using a lot of energy,

it is by definition supporting the energy need

that is going on right there.

And when they're not, it is flowing right onto the grid

as an energy resource to support the grid.

- [Announcer] Solar panels paired

with home batteries can be even more beneficial

because the excess energy stored during the day

can be sent back to the grid in the evening

as solar production goes down.

And this energy storage can also be used

to prevent the power grid from breaking down

during extreme situations like a heat wave.

- [Mary] It is stunning to see this heat wave

that is gripping the United States now.

It can really be the difference

between the grid functioning or not

during some of these significant climatic events

that create incredible stress on the grid.

- [Announcer] The US Department of Energy said solar

is the fastest growing clean energy source in the country

compared to wind, water, and nuclear power.

But despite its steady growth,

solar power comes with limitations

on how well it can perform

and how much it can actually support the grid.

- Over time, it will not produce as much

as it did initially.

And so when we work with customers,

what we always build around is an expected term

of, you know, 25 years.

- [Announcer] Residential solar panels degrade

on a median rate of 0.5% a year.

A drop in efficiency means less solar energy traveling

back to the grid to help out in times of need.

It also means customers will have to pay more

for their utilities over time,

or pay a steep price to get the panels replaced.

Temperature can also affect the panel's efficiency.

Several solar panel providers state on their websites

that output efficiency decreases with extreme temperatures.

And even though solar power is considered a type

of green energy.

- What's really cool is yes,

this energy source requires materials.

It does not require fossil fuels.

- [Announcer] Some materials used in the panels

such as lead and cadmium can be toxic.

As demand increases,

solar companies are engineering new technology

to better adapt to extreme weather conditions.

Rooftop solar is just one of the many technologies

experts say will be needed to help support the grid.

- I knew we were never gonna be able to scale

in time to meet the demands of climate change

without, you know, the kind of innovation

and technological solutions that come

with a more distributed energy system.

(calm music)