Geomagnetic Storms Could Blow Away the Power Grid

[happyslug]

2. Do you KNOW how much power a Refrigerator NEEDs??

For example a 4.4 Cubic inch Compact Refrigerator uses 274 kwh per year.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_326299-47224-LFPH44M4LM_4294857965_44_?productId=3256590&Ns=p_product_prd_lis_ord_nbr|0||p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&pl=1¤tURL=%2Fpl_Compact%2BRefrigerators_4294857965_44_%3FNs%3Dp_product_prd_lis_ord_nbr%7C0%7C%7Cp_product_qty_sales_dollar%7C1&facetInfo=

And this is an "Energy Star" rated Refrigerator:
http://pdf.lowes.com/energyguides/012505747373.pdf

Please note the 274 Kilowatt hours is a YEARLY amount, so you have to divide it by 365 to see how much you would use in a day, or .75 Kilowatts hours or 750 Watts hour (What most people call 750 WATTS).

.http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/homes/rea14.shtm

Solar panels run about $1.41 per watt, or for 750 watt Refrigerator that comes to $1057.50 for a panel, that will provide the power needed but only during daylight.

Solar power for sale site, yes a place to buy your Solar power "kits":
http://www.wholesalesolar.com/

For a larger (normal kitchen size) refrigerator the numbers are higher, 590 kwh on a yearly basis, which comes to 1.61 kwh per day or 1610 watts. At $1.41 per watt, that comes to $2270,10 in panels needed.

At these prices, it MIGHT be better to leave the food ROT, it is cheaper.

Remember the $2270,10in solar panel is what is needed just to run the Refrigerator. Running any fans (for example for the Furnace during winter) will be additional and I will NOT even bring up Air Conditioning.

Just pointing out the COST of using Solar Panels as a backup. In a rural situation a mixed system would be better, i.e, Solar Roof, Wind power electrical and a water system (The water system could be a water tank that is filled with water by the Wind Turbine and the Solar Panels when the power from those two sources are NOT being used elsewhere, then when there is no wind and the Sun is down, the water is released to run a water powered generator. This combination tends to be CHEAPER then using batteries to "store" the electrical power).

In urban areas, wind turbines tend to be viewed as dangerous, as are water towers, thus the Solar Panel have to be viewed as a backup in itself or with some sort of high end battery storage system.

Just pointing out the restrictions as to Solar Panels at the present time, looking at the numbers it may be better to leave the food go bad then to spend the money on a solar panel system to backup power to the refrigerator.