Solar is no longer just a way to trim your utility bill; for many homeowners it is a serious contender to keep the lights on when the grid goes dark. Whether panels can truly stand in for a gas or ...

The night sky in Wisconsin glows with the Northern Lights as a geomagnetic storm brings vibrant pink and green colors to a majority of the northern states. (Photo by Ross Harried/NurPhoto via Getty ...

Homes traditionally run on power grids, but it isn't 100% reliable. Technical problems can happen at any time, high consumer demand leads to blackouts, and there's the occasional weather disturbance ...