My idea for the use of solar is a few panels and deep discharge batteries. Nothing tied into the house. Just something to be able to recharge cells, DVD player etc.

Something I did find quite interesting....Obviously 'local knowledge' is a good thing but this came in REAL handy.

The flooding of our neighborhood was extensive. Not from surge but rain. There were human failures and clogging of the drainage canals.....what helped me? knowing the local roads. Not in the obvious sense but literally in knowing where almost EVERY dip, bump, pot hole etc. were. It allowed use to be able to safely navigate a path out of our neighborhood. It wasn't the usual most direct route. Rather than make a right out of our driveway and a left at the corner, I had to take a left out of the driveway, go to the end of the block, make a right, a right, drive to then end and make a left....not the shortest route but the ONLY one to get out. It allowed us to get out a day earlier than other people. Our son was also impressed with how much knowledge HE had on the roads, not realizing how much he really had been paying attention to the little things. Really get to KNOW where you live.... it may make the difference between inconvenient and impossible.