Working from home wasn’t born during COVID, but pandemic shutdowns and evolving workplaces have made remote work a new mainstream way of earning a living.

Waves of urban and suburban workers have spread out into more rural communities, where the cost of living is lower. More land choices, greater options for homesteading and dreams of self-sufficiency led people to buy homes and property outside of metropolitan areas. Because of remote work options, that no longer means giving up good-paying jobs or professional opportunities. It’s now normal to work on a business team that’s spread across several states, or even countries, and to hold meetings where no one is in the same room together. Adapting to this new work flow has happened successfully for millions of people across all industries. But this revolution hinges on two key factors – the availability of broadband internet and reliable electricity.

Many communities in rural states like West Virginia are pooling federal, state and local resources to expand broadband service to all residents – from families with school children to remote workers. Broadband internet is now considered to be an essential utility, much like electricity.

But some rural residents struggle when electric service fails, taking away the power source for their connection to remote work. Lost power means lost worktime, as some newly-rural workers are finding out. A multi-day outage, not uncommon in some small communities, has impacts on both home and work opportunities.

Solar energy is an excellent option for home power needs, but can be an even bigger game-changer in times of total power outages or grid failures. With a properly-designed system of solar PV panels and battery storage, a house and home office can continue to run essential equipment no matter what the power grid does. Big advances in battery storage options, along with energy management tools, mean mtvSolar customers can control their own power system. These systems — whether in a home or a small business — can be a wise investment for remote workers whose livelihood and new way of life are dependent on continuous broadband internet access, and the power to stay connected.  

If you’re interested in learning more about our expertise in designing a solar power and battery system for your home, business and remote working needs, read more here: https://mtvsolar.com/resource-center/all-about-batteries/ or contact us for a consultation.