Solar energy is expensive and most families and individuals would not be able to afford it. The panels can cost anywhere from 6,000 dollars up to 20,000 dollars depending on how many kilowatts you need to produce and this does not include the cost of installation. Many start out small by getting a few panels to run some higher energy appliances such as air conditioning units and electrical furnaces and hot water tanks. The panels generally are installed on the roof and in some communities; you would need a permit and permission to install them.
There are two types of solar panels installations, off grid and connected to the grid. People only wanting to operate high-energy appliances would have to be connected to the grid. You can have enough panels to supply your total household demand and still be connected to the grid as well. Any excess electricity generated could be sold back to the power company or used as credits for at night and on days that do not have adequate sunshine. The panels produce electricity as long as the sun is shining so any excess must be bled off either back to the power grid or to a series of batteries.
The batteries themselves can be a cause for concern because they like any battery can explode and leak toxins into the ground or air. To be free from the grid completely you would need battery packs to absorb any surpluses and provide you with electricity during nighttime hours and on cloudy days.
The components are expensive and of course, do not last forever so considerations include the ability to get parts and service after a disaster strikes. The panels once installed cannot be removed easily so if you have to evacuate the panels cannot go with you. Your energy source is confined to the home for its lifetime essentially.
Wind turbines are another option but for single residents they are frowned upon by most communities because of the noise they create and now apparently they can cause illnesses in people who live close to them. They are also considered an eyesore and a danger to migrating birds and some communities ban them altogether for single residents. Most turbines would have to be mounted on the roof otherwise; you would need a tower at least 120 feet high or a certain height above the highest structure in the area.
No one wants the earth destroyed. There is no longer a need for clear-cutting of timber, or hydro dredging for minerals that wash away thousand of cubic feet of soil. It is earth after all that provides us with what we need and it must be protected but we do need what the earth provides us. Humans are here, that is a fact, and they will take what they need but the earth can renew itself. It has been proven repeatedly. Yes, there are limits to everything and there must be controls in place, but to blame humans and to try to stop them for doing what we are designed to do it not the answer either.
You will need alternative sources of energy once disaster strikes and depending on the magnitude, you may need a source for many years. There are options out there but they must be put in place now, because you cannot install solar panels or wind turbines during or after a crisis strikes. Being prepared today is the only way to ensure you have a source.
