Ready For Unsteady

Ready For Unsteady logo – emergency preparedness for everyday life
Ready For Unsteady logo – emergency preparedness for everyday life

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Energy Production

Keep in mind you don’t need to only choose one type of system – having different sources of energy will provide the most resiliency. Buy smaller (but high-quality) items and add to your system as budget allows.

Best for: Silent, renewable, long-term power; no ventilation to worry about

Examples:
Pros:
  • Quiet energy production
  • No fuel needed
  • Scalable systems from phone charging to whole house energy production
  • Battery backup systems can provide power during low/no sunlight (ex. at night)
Cons:
  • Reliant on sunlight hours (difficult in winter months or with high tree coverage)
  • Larger systems have expensive up-front costs

 

Best for: Short-term outages, easy storage 

Examples:
  • Generac Power Rush – lightweight, good for essentials ($300 – $700)
  • Champion 3800-Watt Dual Fuel (Runs on gas or propane). ($400-$700)
  • Honda EU2200i (2,200W) – Ultra-quiet, reliable, inverter tech (safe for electronics). ($1,000+)
Pros:
  • Widely available fuel
  • Most systems are lightweight and portable
Cons:
  • Even when stored properly, gasoline degrades within 3-6 months (use stabilizers)
  • Noisy
  • Produces toxic pollutants – DO NOT RUN INDOORS

 

Best for: Longer runtimes, heavy-duty use 

Examples:
  • Westinghouse WGen9500DF (9,500W) – Dual fuel (gas/diesel), heavy-duty. ($800-$1,000)
  • Duromax XP12000EH (12,000W) – Powerful for whole-house backup. ($1,000+)
Pros:
  • Diesel lasts longer in storage than gasoline
  • More fuel-efficient under heavy load
Cons:
  • Loud and bulky
  • Higher upfront cost
  • Produces toxic pollutants – DO NOT RUN INDOORS

 

Best for: Cleaner fuel, long shelf life, relatively inexpensive, can be used indoors

Options:
  • (for cooking) Camping stove adapter for the top of a portable propane tank ($10-$20)
  • (for heating) Mr. Heater Portable Buddy Heater ($70-$200)
  • (portable generator) Firman T07571 (9,400W) – Tri-fuel (gas/propane/NG) ($1,000)
  • (house generator) Generac Guardian ($5,000-$10,000)
Pros:
  • Propane never expires (unlike gas/diesel)
  • Cleaner burning (less maintenance)
  • Suitable for indoor use (but still need ventilation and a carbon monoxide detector)
Cons:
  • Lower energy density (needs more fuel for same power)
  • Requires large propane tanks for extended use

Which Should You Choose?

Questions to ask yourself to decide which system to invest in:

  • Short outages (1–3 days)? → Portable gas/propane or solar.
  • Long-term off-grid? → Diesel/propane or solar + battery.
  • Whole-house backup? → Standby propane/generator or large solar + battery.
  • Indoor heating? → Propane or solar ONLY
  • Under $100 → portable gas/propane and solar.
  • $100-$1,000 → Small gas/propane or solar.
  • $1,000–$5,000 → Mid-size solar or dual-fuel generator.
  • Unlimited → Whole-house solar + battery and standby generator.
  • Can you store gasoline safely and rotate often? → Gas generator.
  • Propane/natural gas hookup? → Propane generator.
  • No fuel storage? → Solar generator.
  • Need silent operation? → Solar only.
  • Okay with loud noise? → Gas/diesel.
  • Cloudy/low-sun area? → Gas/propane/diesel.
  • Sunny? → Solar + battery.
  • Minimal upkeep? → Solar.
  • Okay with oil changes/fuel stabilizers? → Gas/diesel.
  • Need to move it? → Portable solar/gas.
  • Permanent install? → Standby generator or solar system.
  • Basic devices (phones/lights)? → Small solar.
  • Fridge/medical devices? → Mid-size solar or dual-fuel.
  • HVAC/power tools? → Diesel/propane or whole-house solar + battery.