After Hurricane Helene, Chandra Brown was able to power her home and help her neighbors because of solar energy.
As Chandra wrote for Generation180, the grid power system in Metter, Georgia, went down in the middle of the night during the storm. The next morning, Chandra and her family awoke to discover downed trees everywhere and extensive damage to their neighbors' properties.
"Many power poles were snapped in half," she wrote. "Transformers and power lines were laying on the ground."
Their neighbors also couldn't communicate with their families because the storm had damaged the landlines and cell phone towers.
However, Chandra and her family could care for themselves and help their neighbors because they had solar panels and a battery storage backup system that functioned for over seven days without grid power.
Not only could Chandra take care of her kids and dog after the storm, but she went above and beyond expectations to make her neighbors comfortable, too. She provided them with fresh pots of coffee and Wi-Fi access using her solar energy and battery power.
Chandra's story is inspiring because it demonstrates how solar power makes families resilient and self-sufficient during natural disasters.
Solar energy provides electricity even after the power grid goes down. Meanwhile, battery backups keep essential appliances operational for comfort and safety, and can potentially even help others.
Rather than solely relying on centralized power grids vulnerable to extreme storm damage, solar panels boost community resilience and help people rebuild their lives quicker after the devastation.
|
Do you have a backup power system at your home? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Not at all 🙅 But if you live in a hurricane-prone area, it's crucial to have high-quality solar panels that are correctly installed. To find the best installers in your area, use EnergySage's expert, unbiased support to narrow your options and guide your decision.
With extreme storms becoming more common and President Donald Trump threatening to eliminate subsidies that make solar panels more affordable, now is the time to act. Taking advantage of renewable energy tax credits and rebates can save you thousands of dollars while making your home more resilient.
On her website, Influence Advocacy, Chandra shared that she plans to write more about how her solar systems work and their costs in the future.
"Our solar and battery backup were the hub that kept us up and running," Chandra wrote. "It's not perfect, but we sure are grateful we had it in place."
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
