Solar Power Information

Solar Powered Products

There are many steps we can take to better prepare our families for emergencies. It pays to plan your course of action in the event that natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, and more, have you at their mercy. A safety plan should be in place before embarking on a long trip through forests and snow as well. A good plan includes good supplies, and that is where solar power comes in. Before, during, and after an emergency situation, solar powered products can be counted on to help get you through a tight spot.

Solar powered homes can provide electricity in power outages. Since solar energy is not connected to a power or gas grid, it continues to provide backup energy despite emergency conditions. The power solar energy provides is considered to be a lot safer than candles, kerosene lamps, or propane lanterns. This is also safer than conventional backup generators, which due to their noisiness, sometimes attract unwanted attention, and possible burglary. Because solar systems are quiet, you can easily control whether or not your power source is noticed. If you don’t have a full scale solar panel system, a small, 5 watt version is available that can provide you with a couple hours of light in the evening. Maybe you are lost and have no interest in concealing your light source, and you want to be noticed! Solar powered lanterns and flashlights give off a considerable amount of light and can help if you are lost in the woods, or anywhere else for that matter.

What will you drink? Do you have clean water? Sure, you could always boil water, but not if you don’t have the necessary fuel. Many people don’t know that you can also use solar power to distill water. By heating water in a solar cooking device, you accomplish the same thing as boiling. It simply takes a little bit longer. And when the only other alternative is dirty water, waiting for water to boil in a slow-cooking distiller is not a bad option. You can even purchase an inexpensive water purification indicator that will let you know when your water is safe to drink.

Food can also be cooked in a similar fashion. A sun oven could be one of the most useful items to have on hand in case of emergencies. Food cooked in a sun oven takes about 15 to 20 minutes longer than in your regular oven, but the food is cooked thoroughly and tastes just as good. Both the sun oven and solar water distiller are portable and fit in well with emergency evacuation kits or “mobility bags” and do not require any kind of fuel. They also make it easy to conceal the fact that you are cooking, which as stated above in the solar lighting segment, can be an invaluable defense against those who prey upon others during times of emergency.

In addition to all of the aforementioned supplies, information is an essential survival tool as well. Solar radios are extremely valuable to have during any situation. When the power goes out, most people look for a radio to find out what’s going on. Having a solar radio ready to go without having to look for batteries is a simple and effective measure of security.