On Google, there are around 21,000 searches for “renewable energy” per month. If we get a little more specific, though, we can learn that there are more than 135,000 searches for “solar panels” in the United States over the same period. This information can be useful for gauging interest in a particular topic. For instance, we can tell that web users as a whole are more interested in the product itself – solar panels – rather than a lecture about what renewable resources actually are.
What we can’t tell from those numbers is whether people are actually converting into customers, i.e. whether or not they’re buying panels. That’s a whole different kind of marketing science. However, via the media, we can learn that interest in solar energy is tied to certain influences, such as the growing cost of living. In the UK, for example, VAT on energy-efficient products fell to zero in March, which may correlate with an increased number of eBay searches for “solar panels” in June.
We also don’t know what buyers are using solar energy for. The answer might seem obvious, but the uses for a solar panel range from heating a house to living off the grid entirely, out in the wilderness. Let’s not forget that calculators have run off solar panels since the 1970s. The idea of inexpensive and portable solar panels is a bit of a new one, fueled by a need to keep electronics running while on the move and for use by disaster preppers, a demographic that’s growing rapidly.
The End of Days
As far as the former group, preppers, is concerned, the ExpressVPN website recently introduced its readers to the concept of “bug-out” bags, kits that are designed to keep householders alive for up to 72 hours. However, the site expanded the idea to include technology, with the rationale that items like a satellite phone can make rescue easier to come by. This particular tech survival kit also requires a pre-paid SIM card, another (standard) phone, and a portable WiFi hotspot.
Power banks, flash drives containing important documents, and basic tools should also be put inside a go bag and kept fully charged, where appropriate. All this should be contained within a waterproof pouch. This type of project has enabled the growth of this pre-prepared group into a sizeable portion of the population.
FEMA, via ThePrepared.com, indicates that 5.2% of households in the US can survive for at least 31 days with no outside assistance, an increase of 1.4% over the figures for 2017. These aren’t world-changing numbers by any means but Finder.com shows that 72% of Americans have at least some effort into either preparing for emergencies or the end of days.
Should you include a solar panel in a tech survival kit? A 30w/12v solar battery charger can be found at a range of price points so they’re actually more wallet-friendly than the satellite phone. Yes, there may be some difficulties finding sunlight during a natural disaster (CNN reports as much from Australia’s wildfire season in 2021) but, for hiking trips and brief emergencies, they can help keep electronic goods running until a mains socket is found.
As a final point, it may sometimes be hard to get away from superstitious viewpoints but preparedness doesn’t invite disaster. It simply allows it to pass uneventfully.