I thought about solar panels too. But here are some reasons I have held off:
1) prices used to be 30K, but have been dropping significantly in the last two 5 years.
2) as a domestic option, I hope new tech might be more efficient in the future.
3) climate (change) is more erratic lately, and I'm not sure whether the hours of sunlight is going be affected in the next 5 years in my area.
4) wear and tear from the elements might need maintenance in 10 years, and that cost will have to be factored in.

But Solar Power is definitely an option I will be considering.

Electrical power is way down on my list of priorities.

It seems to me that the Zombie-Apocalypse requires shelter first and foremost; a secure stronghold. It would need to be far removed from urban/suburban centers; that's where all the zombies are, and the concentration of fellow survivor who will want to kill you and take all your gear.

Second; a secure source of potable water, preferably a deep well or a natural spring.

Third; food. Freeze-dried, canned, packaged MREs, whatever.

Electricity would be nice and all, but it is certainly not essential to survival. In the long term, I would hope to band together with fellow survivors and try to establish a small electric grid; in my part of the country it would almost certainly be a modest hydroelectric project; shouldn't be too hard. But that is something I will worry about down the road, when I have the time.

>>5076
An attic with a hole drilled in the top connected to bottles provides shelter and water. Stock up on food like oats, seeds and dried milk and you have food. Then all you need is electricity and company.

>>5080
>Then all you need is electricity and company.
Until summer comes around or you run out of food.

>>5081
Get more food.

>>5074
Most of those system require the use of a converter. The electricity produced is all DC, we utilize AC for our appliances.

File 139851471339.png - (12.73KB , 1296x880 , electric.png )

Okay I think I've got it (kind of).
Can I use a solar panel and does it matter the amps and volts? Some solar panels and wind turbines are like 48 volts and others are just 12, can the battery accept that or is it converted at the charge controller or does it not work? Can I just use a car battery?

>>5083
>>5084

I know that there are 'cheap installations' but the ones I am referring to has a transformer that plugs back into the domestic AC. They can also have a scheme where you can 'sell excess electricity' back to the supplier.

What about the possibility of rainwater contamination?

>>5098
>As highlighted by Residential Solar 101, under cloudy and rainy weather conditions, your solar panels drop 40% – 90% depending on how dark and heavy the rain and clouds are.

http://www.solarreviews.com/news/how-the-weather-affects-solar-panel-performance/

Rain shouldn't hurt solar panels if that's what your asking.

I'd say cover all your bases with a mix of energy producing appliances like you originally intended. The know-how to repair a wind turbine is far more accessible and possible with tools you have. Once a solar panel goes bust there's not much more it can do than look pretty and I've heard they have to be recycled after 10-15 years because they lose their efficacy and it's expensive to do because it contains environmentally damaging material.
The battery setup it turns out is not just a pile of car batteries, it's a damned huge thing like they use on forklifts connected to more of itself with regulators etc for a constant supply of electricity to your home.

Also I'd say having light and warmth is a good priority to have because just being able to survive would SUUUUCK you have to have enough diversion to want to live.