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ZDNET’s key takeaways

• Power outages are surprisingly common in summer.
• Figure out your power storage requirements and what you need.
• Solar panels offer independence from the grid and cheaper costs.

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While it’s true that winter power outages are more disruptive because it’s colder, wetter, and darker, and inclement weather can delay repairs, blackouts are more common in summer. 

Those issues are due to a combination of higher power demand from heavy air-conditioner use, high temperatures that cause transformers to overheat and power lines to sag, and an aging power grid built in an era when demand was lower and extreme weather events were far more infrequent. 

Also: I used a single power station to keep my off-grid cabin running – how it all worked out

And even if the grid doesn’t go down with a fault, utility companies can carry out Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) during extreme weather conditions as a preemptive measure to prevent power equipment from starting wildfires.

And in case you’re wondering, yes, it’s shaping up to be a very hot summer, with parts of California, Nevada, and Arizona expected to hit 100°F for the first time. 

This is a perfect storm for the power grid, which is why blackouts are getting worse. 

So, what can you do?

For me, portable power stations and solar panels have become a must. Sure, you could use gas generators, and while they do provide high output at a relatively low cost, I’m no longer a fan of these devices. Gas generators are smelly, emit noxious fumes, require regular maintenance, and can burst into flames if not treated correctly. 

Also: Are wind power generators actually viable at home? I tried one, and the results blew me away

A box that I can connect to the grid or solar panels makes much more sense.

What do you need to run?

Having backup power to run critical loads is essential. What are critical loads? For me, they fall into the following categories:

• Medical equipment: One example might be a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine.
• Refrigeration: Keeping food fresh in hot weather.
• Communications: Keeping the internet router running and smartphones charged.
• Lighting: To make moving around the home safe at night.

These loads are the basics. Anything above this list is luxury.

How much power do you need?

You could decide that bigger is better, but that approach will cost you cash, and most people don’t have bottomless budgets for a portable power station. 

Also: I stopped leaving these 7 gadgets plugged in, and my electric bill thanked me

Instead, you could analyze each device to see how much power it uses, or you could use an online calculator like the one EcoFlow has created. You want a system that can handle your critical loads, along with any luxuries, and give yourself a bit of breathing room. 

Another consideration is how long you want the system to run. 

Digging through available data, it seems that the average user gets about six hours of power outages a year. This is an average rate, and major incidents, such as flooding, wildfires, or hurricanes, could push this figure much higher. 

Also: I spent two years testing wind power at home – here’s why solar is still my preferred source

I asked a spokesperson at power specialist Jackery to suggest the best types of portable power devices. His best-practice approach covered two categories of users:

• For comprehensive home resilience, think modular and expandable power systems, something where you can start small (or small-ish) and build on the platform. The Jackery Explorer 5000 Plus is designed to connect directly to home circuits and can be expanded with expansion batteries that offer up to two weeks of household power.
• For those renting or living in apartments, it’s best to focus on systems that are portable and expandable, and that don’t take up too much space. Something like the Jackery Explorer 300 or Explorer 1000, or for those with a bit more space, the HomePower 3000.

I’m putting together an off-grid setup that includes a Bluetti Apex 300 and a bunch of B300K expansion batteries with 12 kWh of capacity, and an Elite 400 for when I need portable power. 

What about solar panels?

Power stations are great for hooking up to the grid and storing power when the grid is operational. But solar means you can harvest free energy to top up your system, whether the grid is up or down. This approach gives you true energy independence — for a price.

You’ll also need a place to put your panels, such as a garden, balcony, or rooftop. You can get portable, semi-portable, or fixed panels, depending on your situation. 

As for how much power you can gather, a 200W solar panel will generate between 0.8 kWh and 1.2 kWh a day (or 290 kWh and 440 kWh per year), depending on whether you’re in a high-sun or low-sun area. The average home in the US uses 30 kWh, so you would need many panels to cover the entire load. You’d have to cut back on power usage dramatically (or spend a lot on panels). 

The more panels you have, the more power you can harvest. 

Also: How I boosted my portable solar panels’ power by up to 30% – 11 expert-approved tips

My needs are quite modest, so I’m good with a few 350W flexible panels and a couple of rigid 200W panels. 

Another way to save money

Harvesting solar power isn’t the only way to save cash. Power stations can also help you save money by letting you charge your power station during off-peak hours when electricity is cheapest (called Time of Use, or TOU), and use that stored power during peak-pricing windows. 

Also: The hidden metric that makes these portable power stations truly worth your money

This approach means you’re buying power when it’s cheap, banking it, and using it when it’s more expensive. 

Many modern power stations can exploit TOU rates by allowing you to set when the device should be charged.

Check with your power company to see if they have TOU rates.

Your other options

Power stations aren’t for everyone. Maybe you don’t experience enough power outages, or don’t mind being off-grid for a few hours, or maybe your budget doesn’t extend to a power station and solar panels. Fear not, because you can still put some backups in place, just in case.

Also: My favorite portable power station for traveling can charge any device – and it’s $150 off

Power banks are great, especially the bigger units like the Anker Solix C300, which packs 288Wh of power, a 300W (600W surge) AC outlet, and an emergency light (you can even get a 60W solar panel for this device). I’ve been impressed by how good the Solix C300 has been (along with the C300 DC, which doesn’t have the AC outlet). 

Alternatively, if you only have modest demands, such as keeping a smartphone charged, you can have a power bank connected to a charger on continuous standby. 

If you drive an electric vehicle (EV), you may be able to use that car as a large power bank on wheels to power your home. The EV needs to be a vehicle-to-home (V2H) compatible car, such as a Ford F-150 Lightning, Nissan Leaf, or Tesla, and needs either a V2H power transfer system fitted (that’s a professional job) or, at the very least, a vehicle-to-load converter. 

Plenty of options

There are plenty of options — from cheap to definitely not cheap — to help you make it through a power outage, and they can even help you save money by harvesting solar power or making use of cheaper energy tariffs at different times of day.  

How much power you want at your disposal, along with how much power you want to harvest from the sun, depends on how much you want to spend. A few hundred bucks gets you a modest yet portable unit ideal for emergency use, while a few thousand gets you a system that’ll run your home for a day.