If you were to install solar panels on your home, could you just go “off grid” and cut out the power company altogether? Being energy independent is a nice idea. No more power bills coming to your mailbox. No further dealings with the power company for any reason. Can you embrace this notion for your family? Should you? It depends on your location, and the costs that you’re willing to spend on maintaining your own energy system.
You’ll Wish You Had Thought of Going Off-Grid Earlier
First First of all|Firstly], consider where you live. Does your region experience a lot of sunshine, or is it overcast much of the time? Even [when you fit solar panels on your home, they only produce electricity while the sun is shining on them. So you will need batteries for storing electricity to use at night and on cloudy days.
This is where expenses start accumulating. You’ll have to purchase and maintain the amount of large DC (direct current) batteries necessary to store one to three days worth of electricity for overcast days. You’ll have to have ample storage space for that number of batteries and you’ll also need to be prepared to replace them periodically.
Going Off-Grid Will Save You Money on Energy costs: Learn How!
In addition, having a backup generator is a good idea for extended periods of overcast weather that deplete the electricity stored in the batteries. A generator will need fuel and you’ll need to store that also. Generators normally use either gas or diesel fuel. But these types of fuels are not consistent with a green lifestyle, so you’ll probably want to use biodiesel. So while it is certainly possible to go “off grid,” the undertaking is not simple or cheap.
A more feasible solution may be “net metering.” You can check to see if your local utility company offers this program. With net metering you can significantly reduce your electric costs, and have all the power you need at night and during extended cloudy periods. With net metering, the power company credits your bill for any excess electricity produced during the day by your solar panels. Then, at night or on days when there is not sufficient sunlight, you simply use electricity supplied by your local utility company. You wouldn’t need to store banks of DC batteries in your basement or garage. You won’t be totally “off grid”, but you can save a significant amount of money on your monthly electric bills. Some months you may even have a zero balance.
Ever Increasing Power Bills Taking Houseowners Off-Grid
So if you live in a very sunny region, with lots of extra room to store batteries, living “off grid” could be possible for you. But if you live in a subdivision, have no large storage space, and you’re already parking your car on the street because the garage is too full, “net metering” will probably be your best bet.
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