Solar Power: What's the Easiest Method of Going Off-Grid

Posted by Rolf Joho on November 8th, 2009 filed in Global Warming

If you were to fit solar panels on your home, could you just go “off grid” and cut out the power company forever?  Not having to rely on the energy company for your electricity is an attractive proposition. No more power bills arriving in your mailbox. No more frustration with the power companies for any reason. Is this a possibility for you and your family? The answer will very much rely upon the prevalent weather in your region and how much money you can invest maintaining your own energy system.

The Net Metering Effect of Chosing Off-Grid

First, consider the usual type of weather in your part of the world.  Does your region experience a lot of sunshine, or is it overcast much of the time?  Solar panels can only produce power when sunlight is hitting them.  That means you have to use batteries to preserve power in order for it to be available at night and during overcast periods.

That’s where added expenses come in.  You’ll need to obtain and maintain enough large DC (direct current) batteries to save ample energy to last through a couple of inclement weather.  You’ll need ample storage space for that many batteries and you’ll also need to plan for the cost of periodically replacing them.

Make Your Own Off-Grid Energy

It’s also a good idea to keep a backup generator in the event that you have a long stretch of overcast weather that lasts beyond your battery storage capacity.  Your generator will require fuel, so you’ll need storage for that, too. Usually generators use gas or diesel fuel.  But that seems to defeat the purpose of a solar panel system, so you’ll probably want to use biodiesel. So, yes, it is possible to go “off grid”, but it’s not a simple or cheap undertaking.

A more practical solution may be “net metering.”  You can check to see if your local utility company offers this program. Net metering is a practical way to cut down on your electricity bills, and still have power available at night and during long spells of overcast conditions.  Net metering allows you to get credits back from the power company for excess electricity that your solar panels generate during the day. Then, at night or on days when there is not enough sunlight, you simply use electricity supplied by your local utility company. And you wouldn’t have to find somewhere to store stacks of batteries. Although you won’t be living “off grid”, you’ll save a significant amount of money on your monthly bill.  Some months you may owe nothing!

Taking DIY Towards Off-Grid Domestic Solar Energy Installation

So if you live in a very sunny area, with lots of extra room to store batteries, living “off grid” could be possible 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 feasible.