(BPT) - Have you received your tax refund? You may find that this year's refund is about 10% higher than last year, according to CNBC, creating a rare financial cushion. How will you spend it?

In past years, you may have earmarked this refund for fun purchases, trips or other discretionary spending. However, this year's refund offers you an opportunity to invest in energy security by purchasing a backup power solution to offset long-term energy costs and provide reliable power now and for years to come.

What is energy security?

Household energy security goes beyond powering your home's appliances, communication tools, medical equipment and other essentials during a blackout. Energy security means having access to affordable and reliable power to meet your home's daily energy needs.

Affordable power is becoming harder for households to access. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reports that retail electricity prices have increased faster than the rate of inflation since 2022 and are expected to continue outpacing inflation through 2026.

A household's ability to connect to reliable energy is also becoming more challenging. According to NERC's 2025 Long-Term Reliability Assessment, 13 of 23 North American assessment areas face elevated or high resource adequacy risks over the next five years, with demand growth driven by data centers and AI threatening to outpace the rate of new resource additions.

Power your home on your own

The good news is that you can generate and store essential home backup power independently off the grid. Solar generators like Jackery's line of portable, powerful and compact home backup power stations are designed for emergencies, outages and everyday energy savings.

Unlike traditional gas generators, solar generators require minimal maintenance and offer silent, fume-free operation for safe indoor use, keeping essential devices running during outages. More importantly, backup power solutions like Jackery's solar generators can help offset rising prices for home electricity by using it during peak hours to power high-cost appliances.

Models like the Solar Generator 5000 Plus and the HomePower 3600 Plus easily power all the essentials a family would need inside or out of a home, from everyday devices to heavy-duty equipment. While solar power is the main way to charge these backup power solutions, Jackery products can also be recharged using a wall outlet or 12-volt car port, giving you flexibility and reliability when it matters most.

Jackery's solar generators are also built with longevity in mind. Select models are rated for 4,000 charge cycles before reaching 70%-80% capacity, translating to roughly a decade of regular use. These solar generators also retain battery life for up to a year with minimal loss. Plus, app-controlled features like "Quiet Charging" and "Battery Saving" modes can extend the physical life of the cells, so you can rest easy knowing you'll have reliable and affordable energy for everyday use and during emergency situations.

Long-term energy security isn't a luxury. It's essential.

This year, invest your tax refund in your home's long-term energy preparedness and independence. To learn more about Jackery's backup power solutions and how you can ensure your energy security, visit Jackery.com.