The Solar Nanogrid Built on 400 V Direct Current

The PowerBloc® is the only solar nanogrid to our knowledge built on a constant direct current ("DC") architecture at 400 V. This design has huge advantages over traditional solar-battery systems.

• Higher efficiency and fewer conversion steps result in lower electricity cost.
• Seamless power blending for perfect, glitch-free "hospital grade" power.
• Ability to supply high-power loads, such as EV chargers and heat pumps.
• Fewer and more reliable components mean lower cost and fewer repairs.

The PowerBloc® Nanogrid Is Highly Scalable.

The picture above shows a four-cabinet Gen 3 PowerBloc with 48 kWh of AC power, 140 kW of energy storage, up to 40 kW of solar, and up to 24 kW of utility and generator integration. This image is an engineering rendering of modules and cabinets in production.

Why the PowerBloc is a Hit with Customers

Customers love the PowerBloc because it is fully-integrated solar nanogrid that can do everything our customers need. Charging two cars off-grid – no problem. Integrating a generator – of course. Driving a big fire suppression pump with three-phase power – piece of cake. With the PowerBloc, the answer is always Yes.

Key Features of the PowerBloc.

It is the sum of all features that makes the PowerBloc an efficient and practical independent power system.

The World's Electrical Infrastructure Struggles with Climate Change

Electric vehicle charging and the all-electric home are creating massive new loads on the grid. At the same time, electric utilities are struggling to cope with extreme weather and can no longer provide reliable power during heat waves, wildfires, or cold snaps.

Our Power Grids Are Vulnerable to Wildfires Caused by Extreme Droughts.

In Northern California, such as here near Fairfield, wildfires have destroyed power lines, leading to power outages. Outages also occur when the local utility turns off power during high winds to prevent power lines from sparking wildfires.

Solar-Battery Systems Are a Solution. But Legacy Systems that Rely on the Grid Are of Little Help

People no longer want to depend on power companies, and affordable solar panels and long-lasting batteries create a viable alternative. Unfortunately, though, today’s residential solar and battery systems are a mix of legacy solar and battery technology. They are not designed for, or capable of, replacing grid power. 

Stuck with complicated technology, installation of these systems requires trained personnel with tools and dollies and lift jacks to handle large and heavy batteries. These systems also “tie to the grid”, which means they depend on a stable grid connection to function and require utility approval.

YouSolar's PowerBloc Works Because It Does Not Rely on Utility Power

The PowerBloc makes independent power a reality. It is a solar nanogrid for the home and business that serves as a primary power supply, not a backup. It powers all loads with little or no reliance on utility power and delivers clean and uninterrupted power for a modern life. What's more, the PowerBloc requires no utility approval.

Unprecedented Performance. Power From Various Sources Blends Seamlessly on the Nanogrid.

On the PowerBloc, each energy source connects in parallel to the common connection at 400 V DC, shown as a red ring in this screenshot of the PowerBloc's tablet user interface. Power flows and mixes seamlessly. Such performance is only possible with a parallel DC system.

All decisions of the PowerBloc are made by its energy management system, which predicts the consumption of the house and projects solar production based on YouSolar’s satellite-based hourly solar forecast. The system then makes intelligent decisions to optimize solar energy use, arbitrage against utility time-of-use pricing, and keep enough energy in the batteries for a sudden power outage. All information and controls are accessible on the PowerBloc’s stunningly beautiful tablet user interface.

*Images are computer-generated demo versions of a product currently available to customers.

Our Beachhead Market: High-End Homes in California

Our current customers are affluent, self-reliant, and uncompromising homeowners. They are unwilling to tolerate power outages and want a reliable and clean power supply with little or no reliance on utility power. 

We have learned that our customers need power – a lot of power. And with great power come big sales: Our four most recent sales averaged $180,000 per PowerBloc (including sales tax). This price does not include solar panels, racking, and array installation.

Recent Sales of PowerBloc System to High-end Homes in Northern California.

Our current market, high-end homes, poses demanding energy requirements, allowing us to hone the groundbreaking technology underlying the PowerBloc. But, we have not lost sight of our goal to become the world's trusted and affordable source of clean power everywhere.

YouSolar has established itself as a premier provider of independent power systems for these customers. We have developed relationships with electricians, builders, and architects, and we are now systematically developing a partner network to create more opportunities. 

High-end homes have power and energy requirements similar to small commercial applications. We are in early discussions with partners to deploy fleets of PowerBlocs to businesses, allowing them to save on utility power costs and preventing interruptions from power outages.

The Obvious and Surprising Reasons People Buy a PowerBloc

Some of the reasons why customers buy a PowerBloc are obvious, but others are a bit surprising.

The Obvious and the Surprising Reasons People Buy a PowerBloc.

Our customers use the PowerBloc to protect from power outages, suppress wildfires, save on utility energy cost, or avoid the cost and delays of a utility service upgrade. For many of our customers all of these reasons apply, making the decision for PowerBloc easy.

People Hate Losing Power. Our customers do not just want to power the lights and fridge but also the air conditioner. The common low-power, small storage systems sold by others make for nice “garage art” but are completely inadequate to run an entire house. The PowerBloc has the power and energy to do so.

Not Wanting a Generator Is Still a Big Reason Why People Choose a PowerBloc.

Generators are noisy and need maintenance every 50-200 hours. Too often they do not start when needed. They also require large amounts of on-site propane or liquid fuel storage which is an extreme hazard in wildfire zones.

With Wildfires Customers Can No Longer Get Home Insurance. Citing an increased risk of natural disasters, two of California's largest property insurers, State Farm and Allstate, are no longer selling new homeowners insurance in the state. We recently had the first customer purchase the PowerBloc to drive a wildfire suppression system. 

Homeowners Do Not Want to Wait and Pay for Utility Service Upgrades. Our customers are building all-electric homes with electric vehicle charging. Power needs can quickly exceed the typical residential 100 or 200 Ampere utility service. Utility upgrades can cost tens or even hundreds of thousands and take 18-24 months to complete.

Ratepayers Can Save Money by Not Using Expensive Peak Power. Electricity prices are high in the late afternoon and evening. The PowerBloc allows you to store solar energy during the day and deliver it in the evening when electricity prices are high.

Crush the Market and Save the Planet

Billions of people need solutions to fight and live with climate change. Nowhere are the needs greater than in energy. The International Energy Agency predicts that by 2030, an estimated two-thirds of new electricity connections will be via off-grid or microgrid solutions. The PowerBloc was designed for this transformation. 

The PowerBloc is not just good or great – it will crush it. And only if we crush the market can we help save the planet.

The PowerBloc® Gives Hope. 

The PowerBloc is a perfect power solution for disaster relief. The image shows a rendering of prototypes of stackable interlocking PowerBloc® modules.

Our current market, high-end homes, poses demanding energy requirements, allowing us to perfect the groundbreaking technology underlying the PowerBloc. But we have not lost sight of our goal to become the world's trusted and affordable source of clean power everywhere.

We are relentless in our pursuit of building the world’s best nanogrid. Our Gen 3 is a cabinet-based system with high power and ample storage for large loads. The Gen 4 is planned to feature stackable modules that are even simpler to ship and assemble. Gen 4 targets the global market.

The PowerBloc got its name from the idea of a plug-and-play system with stackable, interlocking modules, or “blocs”. These modules will make it even simpler to ship, assemble, customize, and scale a PowerBloc and are key to our growth strategy, especially in international markets. People living in emerging markets account for most of the world’s population, and in the next decades 90% of new electricity demand will be coming from these markets. The stackable PowerBloc can power people’s lives all over the world, fulfilling its true purpose.

The Stackable PowerBloc Assembles in Minutes.

Arnold Leitner, Founder and CEO, demonstrates how easy it is to assemble the stackable PowerBloc®.

The world is changing. Power markets are changing. YouSolar is ready for the challenge with a differentiated and groundbreaking product. We have significant traction, a huge market, and strong margins to build a profitable and successful company. 

Invest in the future of power. Invest in YouSolar today.

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