frank-
i get what you're talking about, though it seems to be more of a prepping situation than a RE situation. sure you could try to liquify NG, though wouldn't it be way easier just to have 100+ gallons of LPG on site?
you speak of times where a person could be screwed for days or even a week or longer because their RE system isn't producing. couldn't an individual just have 100+ gallons of stabalised gasoline on site also to run a genset to charge the bank?
my offgrid place is at 4,000 ft of elevation and 50 miles due east of mt. Adams. i'll get 3+ foot of snow there at times, though i've never had the situation where the wind and solar are a bust. granted, sometimes i have to brush the snow from the panels.
worst case scenario, i'd fire up a gas genny to charge the bank. to date, i've never had to do that out of survival, but have done it because i did a lot of construction from the bank during the day.
i'm far from a prepper, though i've been considering it. even so, i know i could go to my off grid place and survive fairly comfortably for 2 months easy, no matter what time of year. i always have 15+ gallons of stabilised gas, and 15+ gallons of propane ready for use!
ranch style beans have a long shelf life!
adam