Solar vs a generator for power outages
They solve different problems. A generator is backup; solar is a bill saver that only backs you up with a battery.
For outages alone, a generator is the cheaper backup; solar only keeps power on if you add a battery, which averages about $1,159 per kWh installed, around $15,647 for 13.5 kWh. Solar pays you back on every bill, a generator doesn't. Portable generators also kill about 100 people a year in the US through carbon monoxide, the CPSC says (CPSC).
Side by side
| Generator | Solar + battery | |
|---|---|---|
| Runs in an outage | Yes, while fuel lasts | Yes, while the battery lasts; panels recharge it by day |
| Saves on bills | No | Yes, every month |
| Fuel | Gasoline, propane or natural gas | None |
| Safety | Carbon monoxide: outside only, 20+ feet from the house | Installed to electrical code |
| Noise and upkeep | Loud; oil changes, test runs | Silent; little upkeep |
Battery price: EnergySage national average; state prices in how much a home battery costs.
Generator safety rules
The CPSC says to run portable generators outside only, at least 20 feet from the house, and never in a home, garage, basement, crawlspace or shed — opening windows is not enough.
Which to choose
- Rare, short outages and a tight budget: a generator, used safely.
- High bills, long outages or both: solar with a battery sized for what you must keep running.
- Solar only, no battery: it shuts off in an outage: why.
Run your own numbers
Enter your ZIP and bill to see what solar would save; choose solar + battery in the quote form for backup.
Keep reading
- Is solar worth it in 2026? — Payback without the federal credit in the cities I cover, and when solar is a weak deal.
- Do solar panels work in a power outage? — Why a standard system switches off with the grid, and what it takes to keep the lights on.
- How much a home battery costs — Installed price per kWh by state, what it does and doesn't do for your bill, and who actually needs one.
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Updated 2026-09-22.