If you were to fit solar panels on your home, could you just go “off grid” and eliminate the electric company completely? Not having to rely on an outside company for your electricity is an attractive proposition. No more triple digit power bills. No further dealings with the power company for any reason. Is this possible for you and your family? The answer will depend upon the typical weather in your area and how much money you’re able to invest maintaining your own energy system.
You’ll Wish You Had Looked at Going Off-Grid Earlier
First, consider the dominant weather in your region. Does your area experience a lot of sunshine, or is it cloudy most of the time? So you will require batteries for storing electricity to use at night and on cloudy days.
That’s where added expenses come in. You’ll have to purchase and maintain enough large DC (direct current) batteries to secure enough electricity to get you through a couple of inclement weather. You’ll have to have sufficient storage space for that many batteries and you’ll also need to plan for the cost of periodically replacing them.
The Off Grid Alternative for the Homeowner
It’s also a good idea to have a backup generator just in case you have an extended period of overcast weather that lasts beyond your battery storage capacity. The generator will need fuel, so you’ll have to store that, too. Usually generators use gas or diesel fuel. But these types of fuels are inconsistent with a green lifestyle, so you’ll likely want to use biodiesel. So while it is certainly possible to go “off grid,” the project is not simple or cheap.
For most people, it makes more sense to look into “net metering”. Determine if this is provided by your local electric utility company. Net metering is a practical way to reduce your power costs, and still have power available at night and during extended periods of overcast weather. With net metering, the utility company credits your bill for any excess electricity produced during the day by your solar panels. Then you just use the electricity from your local utility company at night and on days when there is not enough direct sunlight. You wouldn’t need to store stacks of DC batteries in your basement or garage. You won’t be completely “off grid”, but you can save a significant amount of money on your monthly electric bills. Some months you may owe nothing!
Construct Your Own Off-Grid Solar Power Unit
So if you live in a very sunny area, with lots of extra room to store batteries, living “off grid” might be feasible for you. But if you’re part of the world gets little sun and you have no large storage space, “net metering” would be more practical.
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