In case there were any doubts, the recent weather is here to remind everyone that winter and all the nasty storms it brings is coming to the Pacific Northwest. Every storm season, as Clark County residents start preparing for power outages, some begin wondering whether a home generator is a worthy investment to make outages more comfortable. New technology in the form of home battery packs and even electric vehicles are appealing to others.
In all but most severe storms, most Clark County residents typically experience just a few, short outages throughout the year. People living in an around cities and more densely populated areas often won’t experience any outages for long periods of time. Those households will find themselves rarely using a pricey backup power supply.
For those living in rural areas or near the edge of the power grid, outages are a more frequent fact of life. While the power is usually back on within a few hours, a major storm can put it out for days. So, a backup power system might make more sense.
“Backup power makes sense when your home experiences prolonged outages or there is life-sustaining medical equipment present,” Energy Counselor Anthony Jeffries said. “The odds are good that the outage could be over before the generator is even warmed up, depending on the severity of the storm.”
If you find yourself needing backup power, it might be worth looking into all the options.
Generators are tried and true technology. Small generators can power just a few appliances, while bigger ones can power a whole house. Generators require maintenance and fuel. They also have specific hazards. They emit poisonous carbon monoxide and can be noisy. If they’re incorrectly connected to a home electric panel, they can backfeed into the grid outside of the home, which is extremely dangerous to working linemen.
Home battery systems can be charged from the grid or solar panels, if the home is equipped with them. They are quiet, maintenance free, don’t emit carbon monoxide and can be scaled to meet your needs. The price can vary, depending on your power needs and the duration of power you desire. With enough fuel, a generator can run for weeks, if necessary. Backup batteries start at a few hours of household power. They can be scaled up, but without solar generation, they can’t match generators. Upfront they’ll cost more to install than a generator, but they may generate savings over time.
Electric vehicles are essentially rolling battery packs. The average EV has enough power for about two or three days. Not every EV is capable of being a backup power source. They have to be equipped with vehicle-to-grid or vehicle-to-home technology. That might be a useful feature to consider, if you’re in the market for a new car. Additionally, the home has to be equipped with a bi-directional charger to enable the two-way flow.
Whichever route may make the most sense for your budget and lifestyle, hire a professional electrician when making any modifications to your home’s electrical system.
No matter if you live in town or in the hills, have an outage kit and outage plan ready. More information on building them is available at clarkpublicutilities.com.
Energy Adviser is produced by Clark Public Utilities and relies on the expertise of utility energy counselors and staff, who provide conservation and energy use information. To contact us call 360-992-3355, email ecod@clarkpud.com or visit www.clarkpublicutilities.com
