Solar Power verses Generator: How Do They Stack Up

With the readily available electricity from the local utility company, it is very easy to become complacent and not think about power disruptions. Typically they happen very infrequently and last only a short time. What will you do when a major storm knocks out the power lines and it may take several days before the power lines are fixed and your home is again able to receive electricity from the power grid?

Season and Region

It depends on the region you are living in and the season. In northern climates winter power outages require an alternate heating source. In southern climates power outages in the summer require an alternate cooling source. Try consoling a four month old baby when the temperature in the shade is 99 degrees and the humidity is 80 percent.

There are several alternative ways of producing your own electricity. The most common ways are solar power generator and a generator powered by gasoline, diesel or natural gas. Each has their strengths and weaknesses depending on the application and the situation.

How Does a Solar Powered Generator Work?

A solar powered generator consists of solar panels, a charging controller, battery pack and an inverter. The solar panels collect sunlight and convert it into usable DC electricity. The charging controller monitors the battery pack and prevents over charging. The inverter converts the DC electricity in to AC for use in your home.

What are the advantages of a solar powered generator?

There are many advantages to having a solar power generator. First of all, it is very simply to operate, once it gets installed. There are solar power panels that you can install on your roof, and then all day long they will be collecting the solar power and storing it in the battery pack. Once the electricity has been stored in the battery pack it is available for use at night or when it is cloudy.

One of the things that you might not know about having a solar power generator is exactly how important it is. Remember that you are not going to be using fossil fuels any longer.

With a sufficiently sized solar power generation system, it will be able to meet all of your home’s electricity needs. No more having to send a payment to the electric utility. Depending on electrical load on your home you might be able to sell the excess generated electricity to the electric utility.

What are the advantages of a generator?

· A fossil fuel powered generators are readily available at your local home improvement store.

· The initial purchase price is quite economical.

· The technology involved is straight forward and most people are familiar with gasoline and diesel engines.

· Generators are portable and can be moved from one location to another.

Which one is right for you?

It depends on the situation. How long do you need to produce electricity before switching back to the electric utility company? Are you willing to deal with the continued rising oil and natural gas prices?

Solar powered generation is ideal for someone who is planning on living in their home for a long while. It takes several years to recoup the initial investment.

How many sunny days are there on average per year in your location? This will effect the over all performance of the solar powered generation system.

The above questions will help guide you to which power generation option is best suited to meet your power needs. Both solar power generation and a generator have advantages and disadvantages. Ultimately you will need to determine which is the best fit for your power generation needs.

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