How to prepare for brutal summer blackouts - and figure out your power needs now

At a glance:

• Summer blackouts are increasingly common due to high AC demand, overheating equipment, and an aging power grid
• Portable power stations and solar panels offer reliable backup without the drawbacks of gas generators
• Calculate your critical power needs and consider Time of Use (TOU) rates to save money on electricity

Understanding Summer Blackout Risks

While winter power outages are more disruptive due to colder temperatures and longer nights, blackouts are actually more common in summer. This is due to a combination of factors: higher power demand from heavy air-conditioner use, high temperatures that cause transformers to overheat and power lines to sag, and an aging power grid built in an era when demand was lower and extreme weather events were far more infrequent.

Utility companies can also carry out Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) during extreme weather conditions as a preemptive measure to prevent power equipment from starting wildfires. With parts of California, Nevada, and Arizona expected to hit 100°F for the first time this summer, the power grid faces a perfect storm that could make blackouts more frequent and severe.

Evaluating Your Power Needs

Having backup power to run critical loads is essential during an outage. Critical loads typically include:

• Medical equipment: Such as Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machines
• Refrigeration: Keeping food fresh in hot weather
• Communications: Maintaining internet router operation and smartphone charging
• Lighting: Ensuring safe movement around the home at night

Anything beyond these basic needs is considered a luxury. Rather than assuming bigger is better when choosing a power station, analyze each device to determine its power consumption or use an online calculator like the one EcoFlow offers. This helps you select a system that can handle your critical loads while providing some breathing room.

Portable Power Station Solutions

The average user experiences about six hours of power outages annually, though major incidents like flooding, wildfires, or hurricanes could significantly increase this figure. For comprehensive home resilience, modular and expandable power systems are recommended. The Jackery Explorer 5000 Plus, for example, can connect directly to home circuits and be expanded with additional batteries to provide up to two weeks of household power.

For those renting or living in apartments, more compact systems are preferable. Options include the Jackery Explorer 300 or Explorer 1000, or the HomePower 3000 for those with slightly more space. The author's personal setup includes a Bluetti Apex 300 with multiple B300K expansion batteries totaling 12 kWh capacity, plus an Elite 400 for portable power needs. These systems offer cleaner, quieter operation than gas generators without the maintenance requirements or fire hazards.

Solar Power Independence

While power stations can be connected to the grid for storage when operational, solar panels provide the ability to harvest free energy to top up your system regardless of grid status. This approach offers true energy independence, though at a higher initial cost. Solar panels require installation space—whether in a garden, on a balcony, or on a rooftop—and come in portable, semi-portable, or fixed configurations depending on your situation.

A 200W solar panel will generate between 0.8 kWh and 1.2 kWh daily (290-440 kWh annually), depending on whether you're in a high-sun or low-sun area. Since the average US home uses 30 kWh daily, covering entire household loads would require numerous panels and significant power usage reductions or substantial investment. The author uses a few 350W flexible panels and several rigid 200W panels to meet modest needs.

Smart Energy Saving Strategies

Beyond providing backup power, portable stations can help save money through Time of Use (TOU) rate exploitation. Many modern power stations allow you to charge during off-peak hours when electricity is cheapest and use that stored power during peak-pricing windows. This strategy effectively allows you to buy power when it's cheap and use it when rates are higher.

To take advantage of TOU rates, check with your power company to see if they offer such pricing structures. The ability to schedule charging times makes these systems particularly valuable for cost-conscious consumers looking to reduce their electricity bills while maintaining backup capabilities.

Alternative Backup Options

Power stations aren't the only solution for backup power. For those with modest needs or tighter budgets, power banks like the Anker Solix C300 offer 288Wh capacity, a 300W (600W surge) AC outlet, and an emergency light. A 60W solar panel is also available for this device. For even simpler needs, a standard power bank connected to a charger on continuous standby can keep smartphones charged during short outages.

Electric vehicle owners have another option: using their car as a large power bank. Vehicle-to-home (V2H) compatible vehicles like the Ford F-150 Lightning, Nissan Leaf, or Tesla can power homes with either a professionally installed V2H power transfer system or at minimum a vehicle-to-load converter. This provides substantial backup capacity but requires compatible hardware and installation.