Heat domes drive electric bills sky-high—here's how solar and storage can help

When temperatures soared past 100°F across the U.S. during this summer's brutal heat dome, millions of Americans cranked up their air conditioners—and watched their electricity bills skyrocket. In the last decade alone, Americans have seen their electric bills rise 32%—outpacing the rate of inflation.

On top of rising bills, consistent power blackouts across the country left families sweltering without relief. The Department of Energy even issued an emergency order in late June to address potential grid shortfall issues in the Southeast U.S.

So how can you protect yourself from both crushing electricity costs and dangerous outages? One of the best ways is to invest in clean energy to power your home. It means you don’t have to rely on the grid or worry about prices increasing over time, giving you true energy independence. It’s worth considering solar panels paired with battery storage to give you peace of mind and security — especially now, while the 30% federal tax credit is still available through December 31, 2025.

A heat dome is a weather phenomenon consisting of extreme heat that is caused when the atmosphere traps hot air as if bounded by a lid or cap. Think of it as nature's pressure cooker settling over millions of people.

How heat domes form

Heat domes happen when strong high pressure atmospheric conditions remain stationary for an unusual amount of time, preventing convection and precipitation and keeping hot air "trapped" within a region. The physics behind them creates a vicious cycle: As the warm air attempts to rise, the high pressure above it acts as a dome, forcing the air down and causing it to get hotter and hotter. This self-sustaining heating loop can persist for days or even weeks.

Climate change makes them worse

Studies indicate that human-induced climate change plays a significant role in the formation of heat domes. They're becoming more frequent and more intense, making them a growing threat to both human health and our electrical infrastructure. 2025 is likely to become the second hottest year on record, only behind 2024.

When heat domes park over populated areas, electricity demand explodes. But America's aging power grid struggles to keep up for several reasons.

Physical infrastructure fails

Extreme heat physically damages the infrastructure itself:

• Power lines made of steel and aluminum expand and sag, potentially failing or triggering wildfires

• Power plants struggle to shed excess heat, becoming less efficient and more prone to breakdowns

• Transformers and other equipment overheat and fail under sustained high temperatures

Unprecedented demand strains

The grid faces unprecedented strain from competing demands. According to data from Whisker Labs, there has been a 100% increase in "grid faults" since January 2022. The North American Electric Reliability Corporation reports that large parts of the U.S. have insufficient power reserves to operate in "above-normal conditions."

Add in power-hungry data centers for artificial intelligence—which will use more electricity than households for the first time ever next year—and you have a recipe for disaster.

The numbers are sobering. Consumers will experience another year of record high prices for home cooling, with the average cost of electricity projected to reach $784, up 6.2% from $737 last year for summer 2025, according to the National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA).

Rising costs compound

Across the country, electricity prices have jumped more than twice as fast as the overall cost of living. The reasons compound each other:

• Natural gas costs for power generation jumped more than 40% in the first half of 2025 compared to 2024

• Another 17% increase is expected next year

• Aging infrastructure requires billions in upgrades

• Data centers and electric vehicles are driving unprecedented demand growth

The average household's annual electricity bill could rise about $219 in 2025 relative to 2022, to about $1,902 from $1,683, according to a CNBC analysis of federal data. But that assumes usage stays the same, which it won't if heat domes become more common— meaning the increase in your electric bill is likely to be even higher than that.

"The surplus of solar energy during the day helped prevent blackouts," Pawel Czyzak, Europe programme director at Ember, told Euronews, referring to how solar helped European grids pass the stress test during the 2025 heatwave. "Perhaps the biggest opportunity is to store solar electricity, to help power air conditioning well into the evening."

How solar performed during heat domes

During June's heat dome, virtual power plants helped save the grid, with distributed solar playing a crucial role. In Europe, June 2025 saw the highest EU solar generation on record at 45 terrawatt hours (TWh), flooding grids with cheap electricity precisely when it was needed most.

The magic of battery backup

Unlike solar without batteries, a solar-plus-battery installation keeps your power on by "islanding," or disconnecting itself from the grid when an outage is detected. Your home becomes its own mini power plant, generating clean energy during the day and storing it for use at night or during blackouts.

Recent Stanford research found significant benefits:

• About 60% of families could reduce electricity costs by 15% on average with solar-battery systems

• 63% of U.S. households could weather local or regional blackouts

• Systems can meet about half of electricity needs on average during outages

The answer depends on your usage and system size, but the numbers are encouraging.

Basic backup capacity

Without running AC or electric heat, a 10 kWh battery alone can power critical electrical systems in an average house for at least 24 hours. With solar panels continuously recharging batteries during daylight, systems can fully meet backup needs over 3-day outages in virtually all U.S. counties.

Real-world system sizes

EnergySage data shows:

• Average solar system quoted: 11 kilowatts

• Typical battery capacity: 10-13.5 kWh per unit

• Multiple units easily scalable for whole-home backup

• Systems generate significant excess power during sunny days for storage

December deadline to save 30%

Remember, the 30% federal tax credit for solar and battery storage expires at year's end. For an average system costing around $28,000 before tax incentives, that credit saves homeowners about $9,000. After the deadline, you'll pay full price. Installation timelines typically run two to four months, and the solar industry expects a significant rush in the second half of 2025.

Taking control of your energy future

As heat domes become more frequent and intense, Americans will continue paying ever-higher electricity bills and have to hope the grid holds up—or decide to invest in energy independence with solar and battery storage.

The technology has never been more affordable or reliable. More than just savings, solar and storage offer something else invaluable during extreme weather: peace of mind. When the next heat dome parks over your region and sends temperatures soaring, you'll have your own clean, reliable power keeping your family safe and comfortable.

If this summer taught us anything, it's that heat domes aren't going away. But with solar panels and battery storage, at least you'll be ready for them.