Diesel generators have many advantages over gasoline or propane/natural gas generators for remote, backup or emergency power solutions:

• low maintenance
• continuous performance
• capable of using alternative fuel
• lower pollution
• lower noise level
• lower fuel cost
  

 In general, diesel generators will produce more power per cost than other types of generators and are capable of running for extended periods of time without having stand down as gasoline or propane/natural gas generators do.

The only real disadvantage of diesel generators compared to gasoline or natural gas generators is that they cost somewhat more initially.  This extra expense is quickly recovered in reduced maintenance and fuel costs. 

Some equipment can perform other tasks and double as a backup power source.  Examples of this are diesel arc welding machines and generators made to run from the PTO of a farm tractor. 

This allows the welding machine or tractor to perform routine duty and also function as a backup power source in a pinch.  Obviously, this can be very cost effective compared to dedicated emergency power equipment. 

Normal household refrigerators use a lot of power.  

The more often you open the door the more the refrigerator has to run to maintain temperature.  In a situation with emergency power this will deplete batteries or fuel supplies very quickly.

There are some simple steps you can take to save a lot of energy based on this simple fact: freezing water into ice is a very efficient way to store energy.

This may seem crazy since to freeze water you are removing energy.  However, temperature differences represent potential to extract useful energy.  In this case you are using the temperature difference to cool something down, which is also very efficient. 

These easy steps will save lots of emergency power and still provide you with emergency refrigeration: 

•  When the power fails take the ice and perishables from the refrigerator and put them into ice chests
• Turn the thermostat in the main (not freezer) part to the warmest setting and don't open it again 
• Use your backup power source to run the refrigerator only long enough to freeze bags or bottles of water (2 liter soda bottles work great)
• Use the ice you make to replace the melted ice in the ice chests
  

All you need to do this is a few ice chests and bags or bottle to use to make blocks of ice.  Avoid using ice cubes because they will melt too fast.

The reason this saves so much power is that you are only opening the door of the freezer a couple of times per day and using ice to store energy.  

You can also combine these steps with a termoelectric cooler like this one to extend how long the ice lasts.

 Keeping cool is not just a comfort issue.  Heatstroke can be deadly so it is important to provide some means of staying as cool as possible.

This can be a real issue when you are operating on emergency power.  Air conditioners use a tremendous amount of energy. 

In winter you can put on a coat to keep warm.  The coat works by retaining your body heat. You can also build a fire to generate heat.

But what can you do during a summer emergency to stay cool?

Well, think of a cool vest as a coat for summer.  Cool vests use advanced materials that undergo a phase change at comfortable temperatures. 

This phase change is similar to ice changing to water and absorbing a lot of heat in the process.  The difference is that new materials have been developed that undergo this change at a more comfortable and efficient temperature.

Cool vests are an efficient solution to the emergency cooling problem. Instead of cooling the air around you, the cool vest cools you!

 Cool vests that use ice or chemicals have been around for a long time.  They do increase the amount of work you can safely do on a hot day.

The problem is that they don't do much for your comfort level. Vests that use ice or colder chemicals are very uncomfortable and give a strange too hot/too cold at the same time feeling. Also, colder vests waste more energy by cooling the air around you more and your body less.  

The best cool vests I've found are from Glacier Tek. 

Glacier Tek cool vests are much more comfortable than other vests because they maintain a nice, comfortable 59°F. Most competitive products are from 32°F-40°F. 

In a jobsite environment, cool vests are very cost effective because they not only make you more comfortable they increase the amount of work you can do by over 30% when it is hot. 

LP gas emergency generators are very reliable, efficient, quiet and clean burning source of backup power.  They are also available in sizes cable of handling loads of over 40,000 watts. 

This means they are a possible solution for emergency power for a large home, a business or jobsite.  This type of generator can run for an extended period without stopping for maintenance and so are a good candidate for long term needs.