Provision for an energy emergency: candles, flashlights, camping stoves – the most important supplies
Created: 08/26/2022, 20:00
By: Sebastian Hölzle
Are you prepared for emergencies?
The checklist shows what items should definitely be on hand in the event of a disaster.
Munich – The good news: Despite the tense situation on the energy markets, there are no separate government recommendations for the event of a disaster.
In general, however, food for ten days should always be available in every household.
"Your goal must be to be able to survive ten days without shopping," says the guide checklist of the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance.
What groceries you need
In order to bridge ten days, the authority recommends the following food supplies for one person: 20 liters of water (also for preparing meals), 3.5 kilos of grain products, bread, potatoes, pasta or rice, four kilos of legumes, 2.5 kilos of fruit and nuts, 2.6 kilos of milk and milk products, 1.5 kilos of fish, meat and eggs and around 350 grams of fats and oils (see table).
food group | Crowd | remark |
|---|---|---|
Cereals Cereal products Bread, potatoes, pasta, rice | 3.5kg | |
vegetables, legumes | 4kg | Remember that vegetables and legumes in jars or cans are already cooked, and additional water is required for dried products. |
fruit, nuts | 2.5kg | Store fruit in cans or jars and only use storable fruit as fresh fruit. |
milk, dairy products | 2.6kg | |
Fish, meat, eggs or whole egg powder | 1.5kg | Please note that fresh eggs can only be stored for a limited time, while whole egg powder can be stored for several years. |
fats, oils | 0.357kg | |
Other at will | Sugar, sweetener, honey, jam, chocolate, iodized salt, ready meals (e.g. ravioli, dried tortellini, ready soups), dried potato products (e.g. mashed potatoes), flour, instant broth, cocoa powder, hard biscuits, pretzel sticks |
How to warm up in an emergency
In addition, sufficient medication and enough hygiene items should be available.
Also: candles, tea lights, matches, batteries, a flashlight, sufficient fuel, a heater and a camping or alcohol stove.
When is a solar system worthwhile?
The recommendations do not mention the purchase of an emergency generator.
"You should definitely not buy an emergency generator now," says Norbert Endres, energy expert at the Bavarian consumer advice center.
"I trust those who work in three shifts in the network control centers and ensure our energy supply as engineers." He also advises against buying fan heaters.
Contrary to the recommendation of the Federal Office, Endres believes that it is not mandatory to stock up on camping stoves.
"Anyone who really wants to invest a bit in electricity self-sufficiency should rather install a small, ready-to-plug-in solar system on the (garden) house roof or on the balcony." You can also buy solar-powered batteries in specialist shops, which makes more sense than a loud, smelly emergency power generator.
How to attach photovoltaics to the balcony
Even in rented apartments it is possible to use your own solar power.
System buyers must hire a qualified electrician to test their circuit for feeding solar power.
Perhaps an energy socket needs to be retrofitted.
The essential element is one or two panels that together generate an output of 600 watts.
Direct current is produced by solar radiation, which is converted to mains current in the device and then fed into the domestic power supply via a Schuko plug.
The solar systems are only intended for personal use and do not feed into the general grid.
Plug-in solar devices with standard modules cost between 350 and 600 euros.
A standard module with an output of 380 watts hanging on the shade-free south-facing balcony supplies around 280 kilowatt hours of electricity per year.
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