Climate Denial Crock of the Week

Greentechmedia:

Solar-battery systems may be useful for providing backup power during power outages. But many of the systems on the market today don’t pack enough punch to start up power-hungry air conditioner or pumps, or store enough power to run an entire home’s electricity load for more than a handful of hours at a time. 

That’s how Generac Power Systems sees it, at least. Since its entry into the solar-storage market last fall, the U.S. natural-gas backup generator giant has focused on systems with extra oomph, compared to competitors Tesla, Sunrun and LG Chem. While that extra power and capacity has come at a higher cost, Generac has been dropping prices to match competing systems in recent months, analysts say. 

On Monday, Generac unveiled the latest version of its “whole-home solar power solution,” which includes a revamped PWRCell battery with more power and capacity than before, along with technology to simplify its off-grid operations and maximize its backup potential at the household circuit level.

There’s a gap between what the customers want and what they’re being delivered” in the solar-storage field, Russ Minick, head of Generac’s clean energy business unit, said in an interview. A typical installation requires significant work to rewire critical loads and replace household electrical panels to provide reliable backup power, which can add several thousand dollars to the final price. 

The new PWRCell automatic transfer switch, set for release in late August, eliminates much of this work for installers. “Whatever they’re doing today for whole-home backup power, it will cut back enormously on labor costs [and] on total expense,” Minick said. 

Besides disconnecting from the grid during power outages, the automatic transfer switch can manage up to four household circuits, and smart management modules can be installed on up to eight more. The hardware monitors power frequency to shut down loads when the total draw is exceeding system capacity, with the homeowner pre-selecting which should shut down first and which should be kept on as long as possible. 

Yahoo Finance:

Shares of Generac Holdings Inc. GNRC have returned 203.8% in the past year compared with 160.3% growth of the industry. Currently, the stock carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) and has a VGM Score of B.

This Waukesha, WI-based company delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 24.2%, on average. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current-year earnings has been revised 2.1% upward over the past seven days.

Growth Drivers

Generac is a leading manufacturer of energy technology solutions and other power products. The company continues to see unprecedented demand for its home standby generators due to higher power outages, while the ‘Home as a Sanctuary’ trend gains traction.

Changes in the energy landscape, drastic climate change, aging power infrastructure and deployment of super-fast 5G technology are likely to spur secular growth opportunities for Generac. The company aims to capitalize on these key growth drivers by generating more sales through higher market penetration. A diversified distribution channel further ensures that the products reach a broad global customer base.

The company has the largest network of factory direct independent generator dealers in the industry in North America. Generac intends to diversify its business model from being the sole equipment-centric to a systems and services provider through connectivity solutions and subscription-based applications. Its products are well suited to accelerate the transition from traditional fossil fuel to clean environment-friendly natural gas.

Generac announced plans to open new manufacturing, assembly and distribution operation in Trenton, SC. The facility will support increased demand for home standby generators and associated energy technologies. It will also serve as a distribution center to customers in the southeast part of the United States. This reflects increased demand for power generation and new energy technologies.