When Hurricane Fiona tore through Nova Scotia in 2022, the wind howled, the trees cracked and the lights went out. For three days, my wife and I cooked on a camp stove and rationed phone use so we could stay in touch with family and check the news. The moment power returned, I knew I needed a better solution for the next outage.
Most of my neighbors use enormous gas-powered generators, which work, but I wanted something greener and quieter. Rooftop solar panels seemed like an obvious step, but the tall maple trees surrounding my home block too much sunlight, and whole-house backups such as a Tesla Powerwall cost thousands.
