Off-grid solar can serve and protect you and your family in the event of an extended blackout.
Increasing problems with U.S. power distribution systems mean that depending on your local power company for continuous, reliable service could be a big mistake.
Did you know that some parts of our utility infrastructure are over 100 years old?
According to the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), many parts of the United States rely on electrical production and distribution systems that date back to the 1880s. As a result, the ASCE gives the U.S. grid a D+ rating for reliability.
Investment in new transmission lines and other upgrades has increased over the last decade. However, the utility companies simply don’t have the financial resources to replace all the aging equipment. In addition, problems with siting and permitting present constant challenges to the companies that are trying to improve the power distribution system.
This dire scenario isn’t likely to change anytime soon. In fact, the ASCE estimates that population increases after 2020 are likely to exacerbate these problems.
Opt for off-grid solar power, however, and you won’t have to rely on our country’s D+ utility infrastructure.
Because of our aging infrastructure, power outages are increasing. Inside Energy compiled data from the Department of Energy for the last 15 years of blackouts across the country, and it reveals some disturbing trends.
The number of outages is doubling every five years. Between 2000 and 2004, an average of 44 blackouts occurred in the U.S. each year. From 2005 to 2009, however, that number jumped to 100 per year. Every year thereafter, we’ve had about 200 power outages. Clearly, the electrical infrastructure is strained and becoming more so each year.
If you choose a grid-tied solar power system, you’ll still feel that strain — your system won’t function in the event of a blackout. The only way to have electricity when the grid is down is if you have off-grid solar power.
Although it may sound like the movie plot, foreign hackers could easily infiltrate our utility grid and take control. Cyber warfare is a real concern, and analysts believe that some countries already have the ability to shut down the U.S. power grid for extended periods of time.
And it wouldn’t necessarily take a big strike to take down our utility grid. A Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) report suggests that a coordinated small-scale attack on just nine of our country’s 55,000 electrical substations could cause a nationwide blackout.
Choose to take your power needs off-grid, and you won’t be vulnerable in the event of an attack on our national power supply. Your standalone solar power system won’t be at risk of being hacked, and as long as the sun shines, you will continue to generate your own free power.
The alternative energy professionals at Intermountain Wind & Solar design and install residential and commercial photovoltaic power systems throughout the Intermountain West, including Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado and Nevada. Contact us to learn more about the security and energy independence you can achieve with off-grid solar.
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