When you find yourself in any kind of survival scenario, having electricity is a priority. Whether you are lost in the woods or trapped in your home during a blizzard, you may not have power. We have seen in the last few years that mother nature can knock out power with flooding, heat waves, wildfires, tornadoes, and earthquakes. The power grid is also susceptible to shut down by enemies foreign and domestic using EMP devices or other weapons. In this article, we will discuss why solar devices should be integrated into your survival plans.
Why Do We Need Power?
Depending on the circumstances, electricity can be needed for many different purposes. In our homes it provides light, heat, and the ability to cook food. Also, many of our homes have water pumps hooked up to the electricity, so that poses another potential issue if the power goes out. In the wild, electricity can run a flashlight, allow you to communicate and use GPS on your phone, or power an emergency radio. Having a constant source of electricity can be a game changer.
What Are Our Options?
When the grid goes down, there are two primary options to generate electricity. If you have a generator and plenty of fuel, you can create electricity with it. However, there are problems with this plan. The obvious issue is that the generator requires fuel. In a SHTF scenario, there is a good chance that you would not be able to get to a fuel source. Even if you did, there is a chance that it could have already been drained dry. Most people only have enough fuel to run a generator for a few days. This is not an ideal solution.
The other option is solar power. I have been a big advocate for solar power for years. I have had solar setups both for my home and business and have witnessed the value. Having a solar setup at your home means that most of your power does not come from the grid. If the grid goes down, it would likely not affect you. It also saves tons of money on utility bills.
There is no need for fuel, so this is a better option for emergencies. The only downside besides the cost is that you need lots of direct sunlight. If you live in the woods, you may not get enough sunlight. Also, solar does not do great in situations like hurricanes where the sky may be dark for days. To avoid this, you can have a battery added to your system to store extra power in advance.
Portable Solar
It is nice to have the ability to generate electricity without a permanent solar setup in place. Having portable solar panels allows you to move them to the spot with the most direct sunlight to maximize the energy you can store. They will also allow you to generate electricity when you are on the go. With larger, folding panels you can load them in your pack and set them up when you make camp. Smaller folding panels can even be rigged on the back of your pack to create electricity while you hike all day long. There are portable setups that come with a battery, and some that are designed to be hooked up to an external battery.
The other option you have is buying a battery pack with solar panels built into the casing. The idea is excellent. I have at least half a dozen pocket sized battery packs. When fully charged, each one of them with power my phone for 1-2 days. When I go on survival challenge or just go out camping or hiking, I like to bring several of these to be sure my phone is functional. They are also great to charge my headlamp.
You must admit, you really need to consider solar options if you want to be able to independently maintain power at your home or on the go. While a generator might be a good temporary solution, after a few days you may be out of fuel. Installing a permanent setup on your roof or elsewhere on your property will help with your bills and keep power going in an outage. Folding portable panels can give you the freedom to generate electricity on the go. Just take the time to do your research and find the ideal solar solutions for your needs.
Interested in adding solar to your kit? Check out some great options here