For some time there has been talk of the possibility of suffering a large-scale blackout and although it may seem like a science fiction story, it has more airs of reality than you imagine. You don't have to put yourself in the shoes of the protagonist of a movie about the apocalypse to imagine the reasons why this situation can occur.
A great universal or international blackout would perhaps be the least probable considering that many things would have to be triggered for it to occur, but a national or provincial blackout in which we run out of energy is a scenario more than likely.
What is the 'big blackout'?
Many sources can be the possible cause of a large scale power outage. Given the difficulty of storing electricity, it is difficult to supply a large region with stored energy in the event of a cyber attack that triggers a power failure, leaving homes, businesses and streets without power. Undoubtedly the worst scenario.
Countries like Austria have focused on the great blackout and have alerted the population to be prepared for a possible blackout. And in different large cities in Central Asia they have already occurred at the beginning of this 2022.
Spain is in luck, more than 50% of the energy generated is thanks to nuclear, wind and photovoltaic plants, not depending as much on hydraulic energy as other countries and which are usually the most affected by shortages as a result of the droughts. In addition, Spain produces twice the energy it uses, yes, if you are in a region that depends on hydropower to produce energy, you have another reason for concern.
Don't forget, though, that there is also the possibility of a major blackout due to a terrorist attack, natural disaster, or system overload. That is why we must prepare ourselves and in this article we are going to explain everything you need to be prepared.
Prepare Your Survival Kit for the Big Blackout
In recent years, we have experienced unlikely scenarios and although we have not suffered a major shortage of basic things, the covid-19 epidemic has put us on alert and we have seen how supermarkets can be emptied in a matter of days. This, in an energy crisis, would be even more serious and that is why we are going to give you a list of the elements that you must have in your apartment to be well prepared.
The First Aid Kit
In the scenario of power shortage, the risk of appearing to be an accident increases, either due to being nervous as a consequence of the blackout, or due to the darkness of the night itself due to the lack of electricity. That is why it is important to have a first aid kit with the basic materials, although the further you are from the nearest health center, the more complete it should be. You must include the following:
- First Aid Manual
- List of emergency telephone numbers
- Scissors and tweezers
- Thermometer
- Medicine syringe
- Isothermal blanket
- Adhesive strips of different sizes
- Hemostatic bandages
- Sterile gauze pads
- Adhesive tape or adhesive tape
- Gloves (Non-latex)
- Antiseptics
- Triangular scarf
Do not forget that all these products must be stored in a closed environment so that they remain protected from external elements such as dirt or humidity. Gauze, bandages and cotton pads must be kept completely closed to remain sterile and perform their correct function if needed.
Medication Dispensary
We must complement the first aid kit with a small list of medicines that is always good to have at home and not have to go to the pharmacy in case of need.
- Vitamins
- Eye drops
- Antihistamine drugs
- Flu Medications
- Anti-diarrheal drugs
- Laxative
- Analgesic
As soon as you prepare both the medicines and the cure and first aid material, you have to take into account the expiration date and review it periodically to replace the medicines that are close to the expiration date so that they work correctly at the time of use. need.
Prepare the Pantry for the Big Blackout
To have the survival kit fully covered, we need the most basic things, food. In the hypothetical case of a major blackout, we must be prepared for everything, and food is perhaps the fundamental point, since shortages in department stores and supermarkets would be more than likely. Due to the countless natural disasters that have struck many countries over time, experts have more than agreed on the staple foods we should have in our pantries.
That is why we should focus mainly on covering macronutrients (Those responsible for supplying the greatest amount of metabolic energy). These are made up of three large groups.
Here is a list with the most important of each one:
- Carbohydrates
Fruits, cereals, pasta, rice and legumes are the best known.
- Proteins
- Lipids
Oil, nuts, and butter are the ones we use the most when cooking.
It is important to take into account something fundamental to prepare our pantry, and that is that we have to ensure that our food is not perishable, since in that case we would have to be constantly renewing our pantry. That is why the best way is to buy canned products or those that take a long time to spoil. Dried fruits and vegetables are a good choice, as are canned or dried beans. Nuts, rice and cereals will prevent us from headaches, as can tuna and other meat foods that can be kept packaged outside the fridge. Remember to always have a couple of jugs of water to stay well hydrated at all times in the event that the water flow in your apartment or house depends on an electric hydraulic pump.
How to Have Energy at Home After the Big Blackout
Many of us cannot be completely without electricity at home, either because we have small children at home, because our kitchen is electric and without it we cannot cook, or if we have to stay connected, charge our phones, computers or other basic household appliances as long as the time of lack of energy does not become so hard. There are different possibilities for this, but only one of them fully adapts to all scenarios, the BLUETTI electric power station.
What is a Power Station?
Power stations are the perfect tool to have electricity anywhere, and best of all, they are portable. There are many types of power stations, depending above all on the storage capacity or the charging possibilities, they will be ideal for one scenario or another.
Surely you have run out of battery on your mobile phone, and for this you have connected the charger or a small wireless charging device. Now imagine that, but in a big way, capable of charging not only 12v devices such as a mobile phone, but also 220v devices such as a television, a blender, a dryer...
That is why a power station is a very interesting item to have at home in the event of a major blackout, as it can supply us with electricity when it does not reach the domestic electrical grid. And all this without using gasoline or gas, since it works like a large battery, capable of storing up to 2000Wh and expandable up to 8000Wh, also allowing different peripherals to be connected to it both to charge and to use them simultaneously.
In short, a power station is a tool capable of storing and providing electricity, while being completely disconnected from the public network.
The Ideal Complement of the Power Station, Portable Solar Panels
BLUETTI power stations allow that and much more. On many occasions you will have seen the use of these power stations or generators at fairs, markets or outdoor works. In these cases, you will surely have noticed the amount of noise they produce, this is because they generate energy with a gasoline engine, something totally incompatible with an apartment in the city, or if we do not have land or a garden (and even so the sound is unbearable).
From BLUETTI we solve all these inconveniences with the possibility of charging the battery in 3 different ways. The first and most common is through the electrical network itself, allowing it to be charged when electricity is running out and having it ready for when it is scarce, it will not take more than 4 hours and you will have energy for a while. You can also charge it in the car, an ideal option not only for those who travel in a van or motorhome, but we would turn our car into a generator of electricity to have it at home, thanks to the fact that our power stations are portable. And then there is the most ecological and independent, with solar panels.
We have designed solar panels capable of powering our power stations, occupying little volume and are also portable. With them we can take advantage of the energy generated by the sun to be able to charge the battery unlimitedly, without any cost and respecting the environment.
Which Power Station do I need?
At BLUETTI we have worked to design power stations that adapt to each of the real needs, both for those who love camping, but like to be connected, for those who love traveling by van or motorhome, and for Families with houses in remote places or isolated from the electricity grid, the latter have the same needs that we would have if a major blackout occurs. Here are our recommendations:
BLUETTI EP500
Power at home, with comfort and style. It allows easy movement at home thanks to its wheels and also has an elegant design that will not go unnoticed in your living room.
In addition, it is compatible with a mobile application with which to manage different parameters remotely. It is the most powerful of the family, with a 5100Wh battery.
BLUETTI AC200MAX
The BLUETTI off-road station, which starts with a capacity of 2048Wh, but is expandable up to 8192Wh. Lighter than the EP500, allowing it to be transported more comfortably in the car, for use outdoors such as camping or barbecues.
Solar Panels For Unlimited Energy
To complement the power station and have unlimited electricity, our solar panels are ideal, as well as being compatible with any of our power stations. In order to power both the EP500 station and the AC200 MAX, it is convenient to use the SP350 plates to reduce charging time.
