Over the years, the usage of solar energy has reached positive heights. The reason behind its immense usage is energy efficiency. According to reports, Power generation from solar energy has reached a record of 179 TWh in 2021. The world’s current solar energy capacity is 850.2 GW, and around 4.4% of global energy is extracted from solar power.
Besides being energy efficient, solar energy has become a major help during emergencies. It plays a vital and supportive role in disaster relief. It can become an immediate source of power generation to meet emergency needs in the aftermath scenarios of natural disasters.
How solar energy becomes the ultimate power source after climatic disasters?
The climatic changes have severely impacted today’s environment, resulting in natural disasters. After the drastic effect of climatic disasters such as floods, cyclones, hurricanes, tornadoes, etc, power outages are common. The power grids, generators, and transformers get damaged and lead to power loss for several days and even weeks.
Residences and business places start to face major problems in these situations. Brownouts and blackouts restrict public access to electricity during extreme climatic disasters. The day-to-day activities get affected without a power supply. This is where solar power comes in as a saviour. With the help of solar panels, the energy can be stored for power generation. Solar energy becomes one of the best backup plans during this situation.
Public places such as hospitals and clinics, companies, factories, schools, etc., can start their services back with the help of solar power. The daily work will get simplified even after the disaster. The energy source will meet your essential needs, such as lighting, refrigeration, power up electronic devices and equipment. Therefore, it aids people to live a normal life after the disaster.
Ways Through Which Solar Energy Brings Immediate Relief After Disasters
For disaster management, solar power plays a crucial role as a sustainable energy source. No other sources of energy will be functional in such crises. Solar energy will be the ultimate aid in power generation which can be used for disaster management and provide relief to the public. Here are the ways which justify how solar energy is the ultimate solution.
Aids in powering up emergency shelters and relief care units
You never know what extent of destruction the disaster can go. It can leave people homeless for several days. Governments arrange emergency shelters and relief care units for people. These can become functional with solar power supply. Being equipped with solar panels, it can generate a reliable source of power. It will help operate electronic devices, communication, and essential medical equipment. So, even if the power grids and electric poles are damaged, solar power can come to the rescue.
Helps in refrigeration of emergency food supplies and medications
The most important thing in disaster management is to keep emergency food supplies and medicines safe. These are meant to be kept at the right temperature. It is impossible to store the products safely without refrigeration, which needs a power supply. In such cases, solar power can be used to refrigerate and store medicines and food supplies and reach out to people in need. Solar power will offer a sufficient source of power for refrigeration.
Mobile solar-powered units in highly affected areas
Some regions get highly affected as they are located in disaster-prone areas. People living in such regions find themselves helpless without any help. The mobile solar power units can be transported to those areas to supply the power. It can aid people living in those areas in numerous ways. Solar units can become the emergency source for an immediate response, essential services, and communication systems. Therefore, in case of any emergency need, people can communicate with the relief centres for help.
Powering up communication devices during the disasters
Lack of communication is a major problem during a disaster. People in disaster-stricken areas are unable to contact for emergency medical help. With the help of solar energy, the communication devices can be powered up. Cell phones, radios, and other devices can be charged and utilized during urgent needs.
Due to these potential aids, solar power has become the ultimate power source for disaster management. It will help in protecting the lives and living a normal life after the disaster. The importance of solar energy has been recognized by governments worldwide, and its development has been processed with advancement and innovative approaches. Further improvement will make the use of solar energy more flexible in emergencies.