Nov 11 2008
Can Anyone Live Off The Grid?
Living off the grid is available to everyone. New technologies make power generation of such level that no modern convenience need be given up. No need to live like granola loving hippies (unless you want too). There may be a larger investment for high energy appliances like AC, chest freezers and the like, but these things are easily powered off the grid.
The demand for renewable energy has caused more efficient and easy to use components that will allow you to live off the grid if you are willing to pay attention to your energy consumption. It is a simple matter to use renewable sources to make electricity. You need power – sun, wind, or water whereby you make a low voltage DC that you convert by an inverter to usable AC or house current. The excess power you make is stored in battery banks where it can be retrieved during high demand times or where the direct energy source is not available (after dark for a solar system).
This entire process is largely automated. Except for maintaining the batteries there is almost nothing to do as long as you make sure you continue to operate within the capacity of the generation. The secret of success is making sure you have planned your system to match or exceed your energy use.
It’s fun to use all that power and not get an electric bill. Energy freedom is great and you combat global warming. Recently a storm took out power lines in nearby neighborhoods. People were without power for four and five days. People who live off the grid did not share this unfortunate condition.
It is important to conduct your research and determine which alternative energy sources will work best for you in your geographical area, but it is definitely worthwhile to learn how to live off the grid and feel the rush of freedom being off the grid can give.
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