Does your business need to pull ahead with operations even in the event of a hurricane? Even more pressing, do people depend on you operating for as long as possible during emergency situations? Not all businesses can easily look away from power outages as a reason to pack it up and go home, and some businesses even thrive in emergency settings. Here are a few emergency power and backup techniques to consider if you want to maintain high operations--even when municipal services can't help you.

Fuel Generators And Delivery

Backup generators are a vital part of any business or organization that works through adverse weather, emergency situations, or simply needs to maintain as close to 100% up-time as possible.

Generators need some sort of fuel source, and diesel is one of the most popular sources for global emergency response. Diesel has a lower burning point than gasoline, and it's a lot cleaner than the old days of booming stacks of dark smoke--although you're sure to find a few trucks out there using additives to get the nostalgic plumes.

As long as you have a supply of diesel, you have a power source. Diesel barrels can be held in storage, but the shelf life depends on the mixture. If you're concerned about the shelf life, it's best to speak with a diesel provider to figure out how much fuel your backup generators would use for a given outage period, and speak with local emergency response professionals to figure out how long outages usually last.

If you don't have a backup generator yet, you're in a position of power. Research backup generators for not only their power output, but their fuel consumption and ease of repair, just to make sure you'll have a reasonable chance of repairing or rebuilding generators in the event of a breakdown during or near a disaster.

Photovoltaic Power Options

Photovoltaics--also known as solar power--are well beyond being just an emerging technology. Solar power is powerful, with better cells and transfer technology to get light sources converted into usable power. The only thing holding photovoltaics back from fossil fuels is literally using the power.

The issue is a struggling industry of battery storage. Solar power converters can handle significant loads when the sun is out and even in moderate cloud cover, but it isn't yet cost effective to have a battery power bank big enough for night time and full cloud cover hours using solar alone.

For now, solar is best used as an augmentation for diesel generators. You can cut down on diesel fuel use and use solar/battery emergency power during maintenance, and even switch to solar power during the day.

Contact a diesel depot representative, such as at United Oil,  to discuss delivery schedules for your fuel supply, as well as any agreements for delivering fuel during emergency situations.