Solar Panels and Generators

With the energy crisis in full swing, and the potential for blackouts at anytime, either from excessive power consumption, storms knocking out power supplies, or deliberate brown outs to curb consumption, the potential loss of power is a frightening reality we all must face. In August 2003 the eastern seaboard including both Canada, and the United States, faced a massive blackout, affecting over 50 million people which left them without power for over 24 hours during the height of summer heat. Only those with the forethought to have obtained a backup generator, or install alternative renewable power sources had access to the luxury of electricity. During the cold winter months, those with electric heat are at an even larger disadvantage without a contingency plan.

Solar panels, with a relatively high initial cost, and low output, do eventually pay for themselves in energy savings, and with the rise in the cost of electricity, solar panels are more than paying for themselves even faster than ever before. Often a single panel will last up to 25 years, and deep cycle batteries up to 10. In addition, once a solar system is in place, replacing all the panels and batteries costs less than the initial installation itself. Solar panels can be integrated into a grid, to provide for a portion of all energy consumption in the house, or wired separately, so that all energy from a single circuit is provided by the solar panels, where as all other circuits draw their energy from your local power grid. Often, if your solar panels are integrated into the system as a whole, you will need to flip a breaker in order to be able to use their power in the event of a power outage. When wired separately, no such action is needed, however you lose the ability to sell excess power back to your power company at an inflated rate, which some utilities allow.

A lower cost solution, though with less environmental incentive, is a gas or diesel powered back up generator. Many institutions will have back up generators wired right into a system, so that as soon as a power outage occurs, the generator kicks in automatically, providing as much power as needed, so long as it’s within it’s capacity. Most residences will not be wired as such, and will require a manual start up, and an extension cord reaching into the home, providing limited outlets for you to plug electronics into, such as a fridge, clock, lights, fan or laptop. Having an ample supply of gas is important as well, as the more energy you draw from your generator, the more gas it will consume. Most gas station pumps will not be working, so purchasing more gas during the event of a power outage will be difficult.

home-inspection