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Bill Coleman needed to replace the roof on his Los Altos home. The tech entrepreneur decided to package new roof tiles with a solar power system and a battery unit to store electrical power.

The solar panels have dropped his electric bills to nearly nothing, and the rechargeable battery pack from Sunverge has kept the power on at his house during blackouts. It’s quiet and, so far, hassle-free, he said.

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 The extra expense was worth the peace of mind. “The lights don’t even blink,” Coleman said. “They stay on.” Coleman is part of a small but growing group of homeowners coupling solar panels with rechargeable energy storage systems.

 These battery units provide power during emergencies and can potentially …