Choosin’ Texas for Ara's Next Chapter with Southern Living
| Justin Mulfati
In the Lone Star State, freedom to choose has always mattered. Now more than ever, Texans want the freedom to decide how they power their homes, making Texas the perfect place for the next chapter for Ara’s private grid technology. Our first installed home in Texas is none other than the 2026 Southern Living Idea House, right in the heart of Hill Country.
Texans are no strangers to extreme weather — and the blackouts that come with it. Did you know that Texas has the second-highest number of power outages in the country? From heat waves to cold snaps, tornadoes, and even hurricanes; storms caused around 90% of all blackouts in Texas.
Throw in rising power costs (up 40% since 2020) and record-breaking demand this summer; it’s no surprise that savvy residents need new ways to reduce their reliance on the grid as their sole source of power.
A futureproof home integrates everything you need from day one
There are many ways to diversify your home's energy mix, but no way to combine all those new sources into one seamless system. That's why we're so excited to bring Ara Core to Texas and finally give homeowners the flexibility to increase their energy independence the way they want to.
Ara Core can power your home with solar panels, home batteries and even a bidirectional EV – you choose what you want to start with and which sources you want to add over time. If you're building a new home or renovating, it's a blessing to know you won't need to rewire or install new equipment later on.
Your home, intelligently managed
But the true value of Ara is having all this energy at your disposal AND not having to worry about what you're going to do with it. Ara Core makes more than 100 energy decisions every second. It automatically decides whether to consume, store or sell your energy, ensuring you buy as little from the grid as possible (and even sell excess energy) without any impact on your daily life.
Think of it as building your own private grid, intelligently managed for you 24/7.
Ara lands at the 2026 Southern Living Idea House
Where better to show an intelligently managed home than an intelligently designed one? Nestled among the rolling hills and charming vineyards of Fredericksburg in Central Texas, the 2026 Southern Living Idea House is a sprawling farmhouse that celebrates craftsmanship, forward-thinking technology, and thoughtful design. We couldn't think of a better launch pad to showcase what the future of home energy looks like.
Kurk Homes, the builders of the Idea House, chose to incorporate the Home Energy Station because it merges high-tech functionality with simplicity, bringing lower bills and blackout protection with minimal intervention from the homeowner. "For technology to work seamlessly and smoothly, it should almost be in the background," said co-owner Chris McGinley. "People want a home that evolves with them," added co-owner Melanie Sparks.
Melanie Sparks of Krk Homes for Southern Living
The Idea House is open for tours September 18 through December 20.
See what you can save
We believe your home should be a haven of stability and comfort; with all the energy it needs to power life's most precious moments.
Whether you're looking to go solar, store energy for emergencies, or shopping for an EV that can power your home, Ara Core is ready to help you avoid blackouts and lower your energy bills for years to come.
Visit dcbel.energy/texas to explore incentives, estimate your savings, and learn how to build your own private grid by choosin’ Ara today.
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