Solar generators gain appeal as gas prices soar and hurricane season looms

CAPE CORAL, Fla. —

Hurricane season is just over a week away, and one thing to prepare for is a major power outage. After recent storms like Hurricanes Irma and Ian, people lost power for more than a week. Now, some people are looking at newer solutions like solar generators to prevent living without electricity.

Jeremiah Messer lives in Cape Coral. He and his family evacuated ahead of Ian and came home to find no serious damage.

"Fortunately, all of our damage was superficial. Our biggest losses, we lost a couple thousand dollars in food," Messer said.

He and his family were without power long after the storm, but they came back with a plan.

"I bought some solar generators up north in Minnesota because you couldn't get them down here," Messer said. I used my Starlinks off those, and I was back up and working remotely, you know, as soon as we got back into town."

What he has is not enough to power his air conditioner.

"It might have been a little uncomfortable, but I can live with that," he said.

He was just worried about what he considers the essentials. And when Hurricane Milton came around two years later, the solar generator kept his fridges running.

"And it worked really, really well," he said.

Messer didn't have to deal with gas shortages, long lines at the pump, or frozen water bottles to keep his food from going bad.

"So the solar generator itself is just like a big battery. In my case, I charge them via solar when I need them or grid power until it's terminated," he said.

Now, as gas prices soar, more people are looking for other options for backup power. Oscar Vasquez, with Sol-A Solar Energy Group, has a portable solar generator that's smaller than Messer's.

"This is a very small unit. I can use this to just power my electronics, cell phones, laptops, and iPads. If I want to plug a couple of lamps into this, I could use an extension cord a few lamps," Vasquez said.

He said it may be a good option for people who live in condos and apartments and can't use a gas generator.

"A lot of-- a lot of neighborhoods in this area have-- have an HOA, and they've got rules and regulations about noise. They're (solar generators) great for apartments," he said.

But still, not everyone is sold on solar.

"I don't believe that solar has been around long enough to call it time-tested. I'm very old school, and generators are time-tested and proven. A generator will work. The cost of repairs is predictable. The breakdowns are predictable and preventable. So with good old-fashioned maintenance and a clean installation, you have the most reliable source of energy right here," said Vincent Duggan with Infinite Electric and Air.

Duggan said if you're looking to power your whole home, he recommends a standby gas generator.

"It's literally within a minute of a power outage, power gets restored by the generator.
We have some homes in Southwest Florida that have two and three air conditioners. It'll power those. It'll power most pool equipment. And your washer dryer, TV. I mean, it's-- it's literally just no interruption to your quality of life. It's-- it's pretty nice," Duggan said.

He said something like that will cost you $18-28,000 to install. You'd need a permit and should consider the costs to refill the propane or gas.

"And you know, gas prices fluctuate. So does propane. It kind of stays in alignment. So, at 400 gallons, multiply that by three bucks a gallon or four bucks a gallon. It's usually between $800 and $1,200," Duggan said.

A comparable system powered by solar panels would need a backup battery system.

"When I first got started in the business, I didn't know, right? I said, 'Hey, if I have panels on my roof and the power goes out, I'm good.' That's not how it works.
You need to be able to store that electricity, to be able to use it when the grid goes down. Having a battery backup system, we call it an island, and you become your own island basically," Vasquez said.

You can expect to pay at least $36,000 for that, more up-front, but you don't have to pay to refuel it.

"Not only is it protecting and providing security, but it's also a hedge against the cost of energy, which continues to go up," Vasquez said.

So, how do you decide between a gas or solar generator?

"It really just depends on what you want to use it for," Vasquez said.

Messer said his portable solar generator, which can also be used for beach trips or camping, currently costs about $3,500. The average cost of a portable gas generator ranges from $3,000 to $1,500, or more for a heavy-duty system.

"If you wanted a portable generator that's going to give you the same result as a standby generator, we recommend a 12 or 15,000-watt portable generator that's 240V," Duggan said.

On the flip side, Messer feels switching to an electric vehicle and solar power has been worth the investment.

"I only know what gas prices are because I have friends saying, 'Aren't you glad you drive electric?' And actually, they make hybrid solar generators now that actually have a gas generator built in. So if you wanted the best of both worlds, you could go with that option," Messer said.

Now, Florida shoppers no longer have to wait for a certain hurricane season to save money on emergency supplies. As of July 2025, the sales tax exemption on disaster preparedness items, including portable generators, is permanent. The goal is to help families and businesses prepare and save money amid rising costs.

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