Home energy DIY surge
Quick spring moves—seal windows, flush your water heater and swap furnace filters—to shave utility bills and prep for cooling season (clickondetroit.com). Battery storage is getting more consumer‑friendly: Copper launched an induction range with a built‑in battery, and CNET tested over 140 portable power stations for backup and outdoor use—practical options for contractors selling home resiliency ( ).
Copper’s Charlie range embeds a 5 kWh lithium‑iron‑phosphate (LFP) battery in the base and is designed to run from a standard 110/120‑volt outlet, allowing high‑power induction cooking without a dedicated 240V circuit. (cleantechnica.com)) Copper advertises the onboard battery can deliver up to about 10 kW of cooking power and the company lists U.S. delivery with roughly a four‑week lead time. (housedigest.com)) The Charlie meets the 5 kWh threshold for the federal Section 48E clean energy tax credit and qualified for a 30% residential clean energy tax credit when installed before Dec. 31, 2025, and some California utilities offer an additional $3,000 “advanced technology” bonus for full electrification. (copperhome.com)) CNET’s lab tested more than 140 portable power stations, evaluated charge time, capacity and output, and named the Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus its best overall pick at about $2,199. (cnet.com)) Market research firms estimate heavy consumer demand for portable backup power: analysts put the portable power station market at roughly $4.6 billion in 2025, rising to $4.91 billion in 2026 and projecting about $6.33 billion by 2030. (thebusinessresearchcompany.com)) Investors and policymakers are backing battery‑in‑appliance approaches — Copper raised $28 million in 2025 — and vendors note the built‑in battery sidesteps costly 240V rewiring in older buildings, a practical selling point for contractors pitching electrification plus resiliency. (axios.com))
