Solar is no longer just a way to trim your utility bill; for many homeowners it is a serious contender to keep the lights on when the grid goes dark. Whether panels can truly stand in for a gas or ...

Solar panels can only generate electricity; they can’t store it, so you must pair them with a stand-alone battery bank or a power station. For home emergency power (for a few hours of power), we ...

We might earn a commission if you make a purchase through one of the links. The McClatchy Commerce Content team, which is independent from our newsroom, oversees this content. This article has ...

Homes traditionally run on power grids, but it isn't 100% reliable. Technical problems can happen at any time, high consumer demand leads to blackouts, and there's the occasional weather disturbance ...