The idea of being on your own and energy independent appeals to a lot of people these days. Social and economic upheavals we’ve seen in recent years are making this look like a very attractive option now, too. Living off the grid sounds great, and for those who manage to pull it off it certainly has plenty of benefits, but are you ready to get started doing this yourself? Let’s take a look at one of the most important aspects involved in living off the grid today: dealing with energy. You’ll need to run a very efficient household and generate your own energy if you want to be truly independent. Here are some things to consider as you work towards that goal:
First Steps to Living Off the Grid Successfully
Before you start setting up energy harvesting systems, no matter how advanced they might sound, you really do need to make sure the home you have is energy efficient. You can save a great deal of money on your power bill just by using compact fluorescent light bulbs instead of the old fashioned incandescent light bulbs. You can look for more energy efficient appliances such as refrigerators, dish washers, and washer and dryer units. Start with making things as efficient as possible first because it will help make sure that you can generate enough energy to live without worrying about needing electricity from the local power company. That’s the first challenge.
Solar Power for Electricity
Those that are interested in generating their own power have a huge range of products available to them to help with PV (photo voltaic) generation of power. There are many high quality solar collection panels made today as well as mounting systems to put those panels wherever you might like them. Some people put them on their roof, others have different set ups in mind. For living off the grid, you definitely want to make sure that you have battery backup built into your system. This is a method of power generation that has been used in rural locations for quite a while so the technology is relatively affordable and easy to use. (Related page: Looking to Learn How to Make a Solar Panel?)
Solar Water Heating Options
30 Tube Split Solar Water Heater Collector
Wind Harvesting Electricity
Not all sites have enough wind energy present on a consistent basis to make this option an ideal one for living off the grid. You will need to either do some testing and research on your own or possibly hire a professional to come take a look at your property. However, these tall towers with wind turbines affixed to them are fast becoming a hot option for renewable energy in many parts of the world. As stated, be sure to do your research to find out whether or not this is the best option for where you live, but if so it can be just as useful as solar energy.
Microhydro Generated Electricity
This option is even less common than solar or wind generation, but if you have a stream or river on your property then this can definitely be a smart option. Typically, streams will need to be fairly fast moving and have a significant volume of water in them all year round in order to be able to use this kind of technology. Still, if this is an option then you should certainly consider it because unlike wind or solar power, a stream that has enough flow to generate power will be able to do so 24 hours a day whenever it has enough water volume. That is what makes this potentially one of the very best methods for generating significant amounts of electricity that can help you live entirely off the grid with a natural source of renewable energy. (Related page: A Backpack Hydroelectric Power Plant For Your Next Camping Trip?)