Can You Live Off Grid? (Alternative Energy Site Article)

July 31, 2011
Can You Live Off Grid?

A large amount of people are starting to realize it’s feasible to continue enjoying all the modern amenities they became used to while also experiencing the independence of off grid living. Off grid living means exactly that – living off the grid. You can enjoy freedom from power lines, electrical bills and the sky-rocketing rates being charged by resources corporations for being hooked up to the electrical grid. Almost every homeowner can experience this environmentally friendly and cost effective lifestyle . The rules of living this way can be applied to any home anywhere in the world, including those currently connected to the electrical supply grid.

More and more folk are showing an interest in breaking free from their reliance on carbon-based fuel burning power plants through the utilizing of alternative power generation strategies such as solar panels, windmills, hydro-electric generators and even magnetic power generators. Technology has advanced and costs have been reduced at the same time. It is very feasible to make off grid living a do it yourself project with the help of the many kits, resources and guides that are accessible these days. While global energy costs are soaring, those that have made the switch to off grid living are secure in the knowledge that their bills are continuously getting less.

The thought of giving up all of their electronic and electrical luxuries shocks a lot of people away from off grid living. This couldn’t be farther from the actual facts. Learning to control your energy use is all that is really required for off grid living. When you leave a room, turn the lights off. You might purchase appliances that don’t use power when not in use like the clocks on microwaves and stoves. Appliances with indicators lights that are always on, like computers, printers and some telephone chargers, are leeching power and adding to your bills. Your luxuries don’t need to be sacrificed when your are trying off grid living, you simply need to learn how to be smarter when using them.

http://www.alternativeenergyhq.com/living-off-grid-excellent-new-life.php

it would cost about $54,000.

But things are changing.

Cost of cash outlay to get it installed is the problem. Even if I got all the money back I would still need the cash up front.

if it were $20-25,000 we'd do it. we have our own well and septic system. everything is run by electricity. i'd love to be off that grid. it's not the bills. we're on an equalizer plan which runs $269 a month. of course, our last electric bill was over $400, but we're in phoenix.

I had no idea it was that expensive. Now, that's an eye opener.

Most people can put in a system that would cover almost all needs for around $25,000

That's still a large sum though.

the well and septic are also on the electric. it's not a McMansion.

if i could get it for $25,000 complete i'd do it.

Just from a few companies I looked into in the North Florida area.

It's the high draw utilities that require that much *more* in solar infrastructure that makes it seem so expensive. Don't run the hot tub all day.

My folks have a cottage with about a small solar setup which has plenty of juice for running lap top computers, ceiling fans, DC lighting, all kinds of stuff, but mostly it's all low draw. 3 solar panels and 5 12v batteries. Works great. Just remember to turn off the hair dryer when you're done.

Need my CPAP machine. Need fridge to keep medicines in.

and gas generators are available. just saying...

and if you live in town there's really no reason to cut the cord.

I had gas lights- built into the walls, a gas fridge, a generator to supply some electrical power. It's a more conscious way of living. This was in the eighties. there have been a lot of advances since then.

Can an off the grid system supply enough power for that?

a diesel generator, which is tied into the solar electric system.

Also, for off-grid refrigeration propane is the way to go. You an drop-off/pick-up canisters when in town for supplies.

i want it for the whole house including AC. i don't like the idea of propane being on my property. that's why we never bought a generator. i hate any kind of gas. just yesterday a family was having a barbeque and it blew up sending the mother to the hospital.

years ago ours went on fire. fortunately i had an extinguisher nearby. now we have an old fashioned charcoal one. when we lived in new york we had an electric barbeque on our patio. it had lava rocks. cooked great.

we don't have any gas lines in our area. some people have propane tanks because they like cooking with gas. i prefer electric.

when we first moved in phoenix 22 years ago all the houses were run by electricity. then people from other states wanted their gas so now they build the new houses with gas. you can't find one without it. we had ours custom built.

It also depends on if you're trying to cool your home or a cabin. There are solutions for a cabin-sized area.

one of our neighbors has solar. his roof is completely covered with panels. i know they wrote a check for $98,000. don't know how much it actually cost after tax and rebates. they also have a well, septic and a heated swimming pool and spa. there house is about 3800 sq. ft.

you would pay when you need it and roll your meter backwards when you are in surplus.

The first step was to move them 1500 miles to be in our family's original home state. This way they'll be in the middle of their family support system, instead of separated from it. The second was to buy them a home for cash in the new location.

Then, recently, mom began entertaining the idea of buying a brand new car. The two cars they already have work just fine and one of them is a fairly late model. So, I've pretty much sold them on a grid-tie system with starter battery bank that they can build onto a battery or two at a time so that they can switch to off-grid power if the main utility grid ever goes down. They will also be buying a diesel generator. They'll spend about #24,000 initially, after any qualifying incentives.

They are also gardening now, which helps them stay active and alert in their mid-60s. And produce is grown locally and sold at large and small produce stores/stands all over the countryside. They have chickens and a couple of goats and talking about a couple of beefs, but not too sure about that yet.

Fortunately, mom and dad took enough from the sale of their land to buy the house and furnishings and to have a nice nest-egg.

This was all initiated from a family meeting I called three years ago to discuss their future. And a lot of the consideration that was done concerned the very issues we are facing today. I told them then things were going to get bad and they should consider going back home for their retirement, something they hadn't previously considered, before circumstances prevented any possibility of doing it later if they wanted to.

They are both on Social Security. Mom has insurance and is looking forward Medicare in a couple of years. Dad is a veteran. We are all hopeful that the programs they depend on will survive the craziness in DC. But they have a good start towards some level of self-sufficiency.

How are they adjusting to their new life. It sounds like you've helped them minimize their monthly expenses quite a bit. I imagine that becomes really important on a fixed income. With my mother's retirement, her retirement check hasn't budged, but her insurance has gone up every year and its consistently eating up more and more of her check. She'll be able to get Social Security in a few months. But, medicare is still a few years down the road.

small-scale http://barefootpower.com/barefoot-products/ firefly series & powapack series, small panels that light 1-4 lamps, charge a cell phone, without costing several thousand dollars up front.

There is so much misinformation about solar out there. So many experts with no experience. So many salesmen trying to make a profit off of your ignorance. So many corporate entities spreading misinformation to deter the rapid transition to solar. Well, I am here to fix that problem. Please go to my web log at http://lightontheearth.blogspot.com/ where you can get the FACTS about solar energy from someone who has been designing, researching, building and living with solar energy systems for almost 30 years. It is affordable if you know what you are doing. I am showing the way, so please feel free to load up on three decades worth of experience, with no ulterior motive. My motive is to save the planet for the sake of all life on earth and this is the only way to do it. So let's get in gear, get educated and get going. We can't wait for politicians or corporations to show us the way. We have to take initiative and be the change that we wish to see in the world.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=1635253&mesg_id=1649184

I'll bookmark your link for later, I don't have much time left tonight.