Going back to the basics shouldn't be hard to do when you have the necessary supplies and know-how. It's time to start planning ahead of time in case of an emergency power outage, check out the guide below:

1- Solar Power

Solar power is generally a good option. Quiet, environmentally friendly, and not entirely able to be self-sufficient, it works great when the sun’s out, but not so much in cloudy weather or in the dark. Considering that most of the world is dark half the time, solar power probably won’t be your only source of electricity. It’s a great part of your power plan though, because at some point you’re guaranteed to have sunlight (unless the apocalypse starts because the sun imploded).

Solar power is another source of energy you’ll have to prep for; harnessing the energy from light isn’t something you can do with a couple of matches and some parachute cord. Purchase solar panels and rechargeable batteries ahead of time. You can spend anywhere from $500 to $1 million, depending on whether you’re powering your wilderness shanty or an entire village.

2- Gasification

Gasification is a cool way to harness the power of burning wood without having to use the unreliable steam method. Basically, burning wood or charcoal produces wood gas, which is a syngas that can be cooled and filtered to use in an internal combustion engine. If it seems too good to be true—burn some wood and make engine fuel?—it just might be unless you’re well-prepared.

Gasification requires some pretty technical know-how and some very specific pieces. You can’t exactly build one from bamboo and coconuts like the professor on Gilligan’s Island, but if you’ve prepared well and learned the ins and outs of the process, you may have yourself a lifetime of sustainable energy for you and your loved ones, provided all of you happen to be the tiny minority of people who will survive a worldwide zombie outbreak.

3- Steam Power

Steam power is a great way to use the elements around you, specifically wood and water, to supply your life’s electricity needs. The power of water-turned-to-steam is amazing and can generate tons of energy. Unfortunately, it is also hard to control. A boiler heated by wood has the capacity to explode and therefore has to be monitored 24/7. Unless that guy who volunteered to hold your hydroelectric generator is available to do this forever, you will probably want this only as a temporary solution.

Fortunately, in the event that the shit hits the fan, there’s a lot less you’ll have to buy ahead of time. Particularly if you have a few rudimentary metalworking skills, the scraps that a decimated society will leave in its wake can make for all the materials you’ll need, and steampunk fans everywhere will have their wildest dreams come true (if they live to see it).
4- Wind Power

Wind power, like hydroelectric power, can provide an excellent, year-round solution to your energy needs. The process is practically the same, except wind powers the turbines instead of water. People have been harnessing the power of wind for centuries, using windmills to grind grain and spruce up the Dutch landscape. A great benefit to wind power is that there is no limit to how many wind turbines you can build. You could have a thousand of them, all side-by-side and generating enough power to last a lifetime.

As anyone who has been stranded and died in a sailboat will know, the drawback to wind is that it is less predictable than a flowing river. If the wind ceases, you’ll need an additional power option. On the bright side, building a wind turbine is easier than constructing say, a nuclear power plant.

Don't let your family go without power for a long time. At first, it may be fine, but after a while, you may need some power to charge electronics, to make a hot meal, and more. Learn a variety of techniques to get some power at least for a limited time. Consider the aforementioned alternative power sources and check out 3 more ideas on Urban Survival Site.