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Solar Panels: What’s The Simplest System of Going Off-Grid

If you were to install solar panels on your home, could you just go “off grid” and cut out the electric company completely?  Being totally independent is a tempting thought. No more electric bills arriving in your mailbox. No further dealings with the power company for any reason. Is this a viable proposition for you and your family? The answer will very much rely upon the type of weather in your region and how much money you’re able to commit to maintaining your own power system.

The Net Metering System of Going Off-Grid

First First of all|Firstly], consider where you live.  Solar panels can only produce power when sunlight is hitting them.  As a result you need batteries to preserve electricity for use at night and during cloudy periods.

That’s where added expenses come in.  You’ll need to obtain and maintain a supply of large DC (direct current) batteries to save enough power to get you through a couple of cloudy weather.  You’ll need plenty of storage space for all of those batteries, and you’ll have to plan for the cost of replacing them periodically.

Our Power Requirments Rely Heavily Upon Off-Grid Solutions. Here Are Just Some

It’s also wise to keep a backup generator in the event that you have a long period of cloudy weather that depletes your battery supply.  Your generator will require fuel, so you’ll have to store that, too. Usually generators use gas or diesel fuel.  But these types of fuels are not consistent with a green lifestyle, so you’ll likely want to use biodiesel. So, yes, you can go “off grid”, but it’s not a simple or cheap project.

For most people, it makes more sense to consider “net metering”.  You can check to see if your local utility company provides this program. Net metering is a great way to reduce your electricity costs, and still have power available at night and during extended periods of gray, cloudy conditions.  With net metering, the utility 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 power company. And you wouldn’t have to find a place to store banks of batteries. 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 even have a zero balance.

The Way of Going Off-Grid for Domestic Energy

So if you live in a very sunny region, with lots of extra room to store batteries, living “off grid” might be feasible 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 more practical.