In 2024, nonprofit Climate Central released a report that revealed that 80% of major United States power outages between 2000 and 2023 were because of weather.
What's more, the organization noted that power outages related to weather are increasing, with twice as many between 2014 and 2023 as there were from 2000 to 2009.
With human-caused global heating increasing the length, strength, and likelihood of extreme weather events, homeowners and renters might want to consider preparing their properties for a temporary loss of electricity access.
That's where clean energy startup BioLite could help.
The company has developed an ultra-thin battery solution, called the Backup, that can provide 30 hours of power or more to keep the fridge running, charge your devices, and provide some illumination.
"The no. 1 thing people worry about when the power goes out is their kitchen, namely their fridge," Erica Rosen, BioLite's VP of marketing, told The Cool Down. "You've got expensive groceries, you might have breast milk, you might have insulin, medicated dog food, things like that."
"It's this really emotional space, and so [BioLite's Backup] is a very easy way for you to start to protect your rooms without expensive home renovation."
Indeed, BioLite has said the Backup can be installed in as little as 30 minutes without professional assistance, and it simply plugs into a standard wall socket.
Since a single unit is less than 3 inches in depth, 13 inches wide, and 29 inches long, it can fit behind the fridge, under a bed, or in a cabinet.
You can pair multiple Backup systems together to increase your storage capacity, and doing so will help to unlock a federal tax credit. The Backup Complete package, which features two units, can be purchased with a 30% price reduction via the government, knocking the price tag down to $2,100.
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Yes — a portable generator 👍 Even without the discount, it's still a more affordable alternative to whole-home energy storage systems that can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Meanwhile, unlike gas-powered generators, the Backup is also safe to use inside the home — and it doesn't make nearly as much noise.
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