Most emergency plans address food, water, communications, and the basic necessities. Often overlooked is a means to generate electricity every day. Creating electricity typically needs fuel of some sort. In long term emergencies fuel will run out and become scarce. So, let’s look to the sun to create energy because easy access to fuel may be difficult should we have a lengthy power outage.

 

The grid and infrastructure is extremely reliable and yet fragile at the moment the Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) event occurs.  Studies warn us that the electrical infrastructure and interconnections throughout the distribution systems will be compromised all over the county when a large earthquake hits. If we store food, water, have plans to handle waste, a temporary shelter and can generate electricity we are more resilient and can stay put.  Using our own power to aid recovery operations, we can mitigate risks and threats to our survivability.

 

Our dependence on the grid keeps us secure, but also blinds us to how necessary having a backup power plan can be. Picture night without light, imagine no refrigeration, no communications outside our neighborhood and no grid power for days or months.  Life will be different.  

 

We have seen the damage and how the long-term effects of hurricane Maria can completely upset the electrical infrastructure and totally disrupt life on a significant sized island. Let’s not wait for our disaster to hit before establishing a better plan to have power without the grid so we are able to function and be part of the solution not the problem.