When the Lights Go Out.
The Problem with Disaster is- they really happen
Maybe you are a member of an organization
helping nations and their people in an event of natural catastrophe – or you
just want to be prepared living in an area regularly in favor to this events.
Electrical power is crucial
to medical clinics, which must operate such electronic equipment as vaccine
refrigerators, other medical equipment, and emergency lighting.
Electricity is also crucial to nearly every
aspect of rescue operations, like pumping of fuel, and water purification. PV's
well-known characteristics of mobility, ruggedness, reliability and
grid-independence, are even more valuable after a disaster
PV does not have to be mounted on buildings
to be survivable. During Hurricane "Katrina", New Orleans was ravaged and left without any utility power. Yet, PV-powered
streetlights in some suburbs not only survived, but were the only lights left
operating.
An important lesson is provided by one of the PV installations that survived unharmed, but was rendered inoperable because the power line that connected the system to its load was destroyed.
Because power lines are very vulnerable to natural disasters, PV is most
effective when used as close as possible to the load.
Buildings and Solar Energy—A Better
Chance of Survival
Another excellent example of the
survivability of both PV/wind and solar hot-water systems is provided by the
Freedom Resort on the island of St. John in the U.S.Virgin Islands.
The resort, designed on sustainable principles uses both solar electric (PV), wind power and solar hot-water systems The resort survived Hurricane Marilyn and Georges as well as Isabell with minimal damage and no loss of power, continuing to provide lights, communications, refrigeration, and hot water.
Elsewhere on St. John, as well as on other nearby Caribbean islands, utility services were disrupted for weeks, and in some cases, for months.
PV-generated energy, seems expensive at
first when compared with the local utility. But what is the value of
electricity during an emergency? The costs of PV compare favorably to those
associated with operating and maintaining portable fossil-fueled generators,
especially if the transportation of diesel fuel or gasoline is considered.
When used for remote applications, such as
weather stations, communication systems, and early warning devices, PV is often
the least expensive option and far more reliable than the grid.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, PV power offers a number of advantages over gasoline-powered generators (the most common source of emergency electricity).
With no emissions, PV power is
better for the environment, and it is quieter than gasoline-powered generators,
the noise from which can add to the trauma experienced by disaster victims. PV
systems are modular, enabling disaster relief teams the much-needed flexibility
to increase or decrease output.
Because no gasoline or propane is required,
disaster response teams have more time to devote to the victims, instead of
running out periodically to obtain fuel (which is frequently unavailable
because gas-station pumps often run on electricity without a backup power
supply).
Perhaps the most important difference is
safety. It is almost inevitable, that after a major disaster, numerous
privately-owned emergency generators will be used. Due to some misuse (such as
filling the generator with fuel while it is in operation) house fires are
significantly more common than with solar-generated electricity.
If you have questions or we can help you
outfitting your projects let us know
