Balto and Northern Pacific Team Up to Electrify Sonoma, Napa, and Marin 

Balto Energy, an energy technology and financing startup, today launched its first home electrification pilot program in partnership with Northern Pacific Power Systems (NPPS), a leading solar and battery installer in Northern California. The campaign, Energy Independence for All, aims to help homeowners in Sonoma, Napa, and Marin counties transition from fossil-fuel-based systems to fully electrified homes powered by solar and battery storage, leveraging Balto’s proprietary Solar-Led Electrification (SLED) platform.

The campaign builds on recent research from Agile Electrification and the UC San Diego Design Lab, where Balto CEO James Quazi is designer in residence. The study, led by a consortium of industry experts, demonstrated the value of “solar-led” home electrification, a method for home electrification where homeowners transition gas appliances to electric alternatives and power their homes with onsite solar and battery storage. The study reinforced the importance of localized and adaptive energy modeling provided by Balto’s SLED technology.

“The results from the study highlight the industry’s new challenge––there’s an information gap keeping homeowners from doing what’s in their best interest.” Said James Quazi. “Homeowners need two things in order to electrify their homes: reliable information and a way to take action on that information.” 

Balto’s platform will generate custom energy and financial models for each participant, analyzing all potential configurations of home solar systems, batteries, heat pump HVAC systems, and water heaters, among other technologies. This tailored approach ensures that homeowners receive the most cost-effective and energy-efficient upgrades. To further reduce barriers to adoption, the campaign will provide access to financing and available energy rebates.

The pilot marks the initial deployment of Balto’s SLED technology and is expected to provide key insights into market adoption of the platform. It will also offer valuable data for refining the platform and improving future scalability, paving the way for broader adoption of net zero home solutions.

NPPS and its partners will manage the installation of new home solar systems and home electrification equipment for participants. Once installations are complete, Balto and NPPS will monitor the performance of the new appliances and compare the data to pre-installation benchmarks and projected energy savings models. 

“We’re thrilled to partner with Balto on this pilot,” said Andrew Krause, CEO of NPPS. “By combining our expertise and Balto’s innovative solution, we can establish a new standard for the residential solar and electrification industry.”

The pilot comes at a pivotal time for Californians, who are grappling with higher utility costs and reduced compensation for solar energy exports under NEM 3.0. By bundling home solar and electrification upgrades into a single service offering, Energy Independence for All enables homeowners to maximize the value of their solar investments through on-site energy use and reduced grid reliance, helping them achieve greater energy savings and progress toward net zero goals.