New Sunrun Survey Finds Soaring Electricity Demand and Extreme Weather Are Fueling Homeowner Anxiety; 80% Fear Data Centers Will Drive Up Utility Prices
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sunrun (NASDAQ:RUN), America's largest provider of home battery storage, solar, and home-to-grid power plants, today released new national survey data revealing that rising energy demand from AI and data centers, coupled with worsening extreme weather, is deepening homeowners' anxiety about the reliability and affordability of their electricity.
The survey of 1,000 U.S. homeowners found that Americans are increasingly skeptical that traditional utilities can meet the nation's rising power needs. Most fear higher costs, more frequent power outages, and limited preparedness for an energy system under mounting strain.
"Americans are worried about energy reliability and affordability. They want solutions that give them independence, control, and peace of mind," said Sunrun CEO Mary Powell. "The fastest way to strengthen the grid is by putting more generation and storage where people live and consume it. Home storage and solar don't just keep the lights on—they deliver dispatchable power our grid desperately needs, and the majority of Americans recognize that's good for the entire country."
Rising Demand, Strained Grid
Homeowners are losing confidence that utilities can handle America's rising energy needs.
- 80% worry that data centers will drive up their electricity costs.
- 68% are concerned that their utility provider can't keep up with the growing energy demand in their area.
- 89% believe that going 24 hours without electricity would be worse than not having gas in the car—a sharp reflection of how essential reliable home energy has become.
Outages Are Taking a Toll
Americans are already feeling the effects of an unstable grid.
- 81% experienced at least one power outage in the past year.
- 60% faced up to three outages in that same period.
- 71% are concerned that their home will experience an outage in the next year due to high electricity demand or extreme weather.
- Only 11% said they felt "very prepared" for their most recent outage.
Nearly nine in ten (87%) said they have suffered real consequences during power outages, from spoiled food and lost income to interrupted access to medical equipment. More than one in four (29%) have turned to a neighbor with backup power just to charge a phone or access basic necessities.
Americans Want Energy Independence
Homeowners increasingly view distributed energy resources as a solution that provides both personal resilience and public benefit.
- 62% have considered installing a home battery storage system and are equally motivated by saving money (71%) and maintaining power during outages (71%).
- 91% believe home solar and batteries strengthen the grid, and 92% said they'd be willing to share excess energy with neighbors and their community during peak demand—a glimpse at how distributed power plants could reshape America's energy future.
As utilities and policymakers struggle to meet unprecedented demand, Sunrun's growing fleet of home storage and solar is already proving that distributed energy is a fast, scalable solution. By networking together customer systems into distributed power plants, Sunrun is delivering hundreds of megawatts of dispatchable power during times of peak demand—helping stabilize the grid while giving families more control over their energy.
"Every home with storage and solar is a building block of America's energy future," Powell added. "We are building a massive, flexible energy resource that lowers energy costs for everyone, protects families, and strengthens our national security."
Methodology
The Sunrun Survey was conducted among 1,000 U.S. homeowners between September 12 and September 25, 2025. The survey was prepared and administered by Wakefield Research using an email invitation and an online survey.
About Sunrun
Sunrun Inc. (NASDAQ:RUN) is America's largest provider of home battery storage, solar, and home-to-grid power plants. As the pioneer of home energy systems offered through a no-upfront-cost subscription model, Sunrun empowers customers nationwide with greater energy control, security, and independence. Sunrun supports the grid by providing on-demand dispatchable power that helps prevent blackouts and lower energy costs. Learn more at www.sunrun.com.
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