The photo shows a house in southern Florida using solar panels to produce electricity after hurricane Andrew destroyed the local electricity grid. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, photovoltaic (solar) power offers a number of advantages over gasoline-powered generators (the most common source of emergency electricity). With no emissions, PV power is better for the environment, and it is quieter than gasoline-powered generators, the noise from which can add to the trauma experienced by disaster victims. PV systems are modular, enabling disaster relief teams the much-needed flexibility to increase or decrease output. Because no gasoline or propane is required, disaster response teams have more time to devote to the victims, instead of running out periodically to obtain fuel (which is frequently unavailable because gas-station pumps often run on electricity without a backup power supply). Perhaps the most important difference is safety. It is almost inevitable, that after a major disaster, numerous privately-owned emergency generators will be used. Due to some misuse (such as filling the generator with fuel while it is in operation) house fires are significantly more common than with solar-generated electricity. Source: www.disasterrelief.org