Evaluate Deployment Of Photovoltaic Systems For Disasters. Final Report. 07-30-01.

Hurricanes, floods, tornados, earthquakes and other disasters destroy all types of buildings, structures, and vegetation. Disasters such as these can leave millions of people without electrical services, functional water and sewage systems, and medical services for days and weeks in their aftermath. Appropriately sized, battery-equipped solar systems can provide almost inexhaustible electrical power, making them a valuable resource for mitigation efforts following these catastrophic events. Photovoltaic (PV) systems are used in recovery efforts to supply security lighting in key locationsand to supply power to radios, lights, fans, and vaccine refrigerators in medical clinics. These solargenerators can provide quiet, pollution-free electrical power for almost any type of electrical equipment. They are modular so they can be combined into larger systems. They can be portable, stand-alone systems or integrated into a building to interact with utility grid power.