He said he was going to go with solar panels and there just as expensive or more so than generators are but solar panels in his area needs electricity to run which does not make any since at all.
You get solar panels so you don't need a power grid, if you need a power grid with power then you don't need solar panels and if you have solar panels then you don't need a power grid.
It cost 30,000 dollars for solar panels for me to live off the grid and only 4,000 to buy a heavy duty generator to live off the grid.
If you're having blackout issues, wouldn't a good UPS make more sense? That mixed with a small generator would be a cost effective option. Solar systems are stupid expensive even when there aren't strange issues that make them depend on the power grid (uhhh wut?).
I normally do not get into these discussions, however, I have done some research about the solar energy in the region that the dev lives does in fact require them to be on a grid, if I understand the legislation that passed earlier this year. Sure the generators may be cheaper themselves, but the fuel to operate them is not there. Thier region has some of the highest prices in the world for fosil fuel.
Just a quick bit of info. I live in an area with plenty of sunlight in the USA. There's thousands of homes here running on solar, geothermal, and wind. Here in the valley, we need to be connected to the electrical grid for a few reasons:
1: You can sell the excess power generated and not stored. So when current demand is met and the batteries are full, it sends excess generated current back to the utility which they PAY YOU FOR. You could actually make a few dollars monthly doing that.
2: If something happens with the weather and you get several cloudy days which cuts the power generated by the panels (they generate a small amount even on cloudy days), once the batteries reach a certain level, it will switch to the power provided by the utility. Of course, you will pay for that but you won't "go dark".
3: Many times, local laws and regulations make it a requirement. In all areas here, you need a permit to get solar installed and when you do, in most of the metro areas, they have laws requiring you to connect it to the grid or remain connected before they even issue the permit. Then after the installs, it is verified by inspection.
This could be a good thing for Flamecito. Depending on the rate they pay him for excess current and the energy his family needs, he could get his money back for that investment in a decade or so. I would suggest he let the utility keep $250-500 of the funds (in case things ever get bad) and pay him the rest. That's money in his pocket.
Another suggestion for him is he could use that experience in fleshing out the story for this game by having the mc learn to install solar and alternate energy sources to get the world going again and maybe use that as a way to gain leverage over the communities?? I WOULD DO THAT!
Me - "Hey would you like me to connect you to my electrical complex so you can actually charge this dildo present I have for you and a nice used cell phone?"
Girl - "OMG OMG OMG! Yassss!"
Me - "On your knees!"
*sucking sounds*