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I’m Charging All My Gadgets With a DIY Solar Microgrid
My laptop, Kindle, and toothbrush run on California sunshine
What would you do if your power went out for three to four days at a time, several times per year? My slice of the San Francisco Bay Area is subject to Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPSs), where our utility (PG&E) kills the power to whole communities for days at a time in order to prevent deadly wildfires. I know the shutoffs are an essential safety measure, but they’re also incredibly disruptive. In 2019, the town where I live lost power for several three- to four-day stretches.
To weather these shutoffs, I built a private DIY solar microgrid. It supplies off-grid power even in the midst of a shutoff.
My microgrid has been extremely helpful for running basic lights and appliances during power outages. But after building it, I started to wonder what would be the most impactful way to utilize its power during an outage, both for basics and to maintain productivity. Especially now that I am working exclusively from home? And how could I put it to productive use during the hundreds of days per year when grid power is running fine?
I’ve tried using my microgrid to mine cryptocurrency (more on that soon). But after a lot of experimentation, I found the absolute best use for its power: I use it to charge my gadgets. All of them — from my laptop to my Kindle to my toothbrush.
Why gadgets? Because these devices have an outsized impact on our daily lives, safety, and productivity. Yet at the same time, they’re small and energy-efficient, which means you get a lot of bang for your solar power buck. With a fully charged phone, laptop, camera, wireless hotspot, and several battery-powered lights, I can work, get crucial safety messages (or call for help), access entertainment, and navigate my home after dark even during an outage.
Here’s how I turned my solar microgrid into a giant gadget charger — and how I’m using it in both good times and bad ones.
