The Advantage of Being Prepared with Solar Power

So, I have a friend who lives in a very good area of New York.  She says the hurricane has created a lot problems in the area, DUH ?   She said gas is a luxury!!      Here are a few scenarios :

1. What if ........ an earthquake hit your area like Fukushima ?

2. What if...... hyperinflation hits ( this is a rapid increase in the price of goods because the dollar loses value at a rapid rate - The Weimer Republic in Germany in the 1920's saw this and very hard times hit ) and gas goes through the roof. In 2011 and 2012 the United States Federal Reserve choose to print more money. The more they print, the less the dollar is worth. The dollar used to be backed by the gold standard.  It is no longer.

3. What if........Israel goes to war with it's neighbors (we are seeing this in the news today).  Now, this is a big deal but if somehow it interrupts the flow of oil in the middle east, gas will go up.  We saw this with the Straight of Hormuz early in 2011.  It spiked up, then went down.  But there was no all out war earlier in this year.  In 2012 we have seen Hamas and Israel go at it over the past few weeks of November 2012.  Currently that situation is in a truce.  There is word Iran has sent a ship carrying missiles toward Gaza as well as a Russian war ship off the coast. Click on the link here for more details.
http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/11/24/251518.html

4. What if........You could live independently off the grid ?

5.  What if ....... You could get paid on the extra energy you make ?

My recommendation is to use solar power.  It is not necessarily the most mobile form of energy ( for example, traveling with it as you can with gas) but it is a good preventative measure to a crisis.

If you are a handyman you can easily build a solar system from one a set of directions.  The only thing you would need to be careful of is hooking up the electric cells to an electric power source.  You should have a professional do this.   The link above and in the margin is an excellent resource for how to Do It Yourself solar power.

Here are three different types of plans you can purchsase.

1. Earth 4 Energy , Click Here

2.Solar Stirling Plant , Click Here

3.Energy by Tesla , Click Here

They are all reasonably priced, easy directions and will get you to where you need to be !

Having your own power on hand will set you free from worries and fear (hopefully).  You can also make a homemade solar mobile kit.  Some ideas include :

1. Mount the panels on a dolly with a piece of plywood so it is mobile

2. Place them on the top of your van or in the bed of your truck for a mobile unit.

3. Place them on a flatbed trailer if you need to take off into the woods should society collapse.  You could take your gear and your trailer would be mobile to sit in the country and have some power with you.  ( This is worst case scenario ).  You have to kind of use the imagination here :)

4. The obvious one that you know, your home.  Just make sure the panels are installed according to the instructions to avoid any leaks in your roof.

The cost of something like this is relatively inexpensive if you Do It Yourself.   You could pay triple to four times the amount going to a contractor.

Remember, it is better to have an not need, than need and not have!!

Handyman ? Do It Yourself Solar Power

There is something to be said for doing it yourself. You learn, save money and have a sense of accomplishment.  Solar power is a good project to work on that will pay good dividends in the future. You will get your money's worth out of it down the road.  An advantage to solar power is you are independent of the big power companies.  Power is regulated by the government for pricing. 

The cost to do this yourself is about 1/3 if you had a contractor install the system.  They are relatively new to the market ( kind of ) and the price is high if you just buy it outright.  However, if you like projects and want to save some money this is a good one to do.  See the attached links on this page for available instructions on solar power. 

This is a good project for students as well in High School or at the Collegiate level.  The skill level is relatively minimal.  You will need to be able to read a tape measure for sure! Not only a tape measure but the directions as well. 

In this day and age, solar power can put you in a better spot should something happen with the government or if there is civil unrest.  It is excellent for rural areas and or retreat houses that are out in the middle of nowhere.

Instead of going for a big project, you could just start small.  Make a panel or two and see how they work.  After making one of these, you can then graduate to larger projects such as a home.