If you were to install solar panels on your home, could you just go “off grid” and do away with the power company altogether?  Being energy independent is a nice thought. No more triple digit power bills. No further dealings with the utility company for any reason. Can you embrace this notion for your family? Should you? The answer will depend upon the type of weather in your area and how much money you can invest maintaining your own power system.

The Net Metering System of Chosing Off-Grid

First of all, consider the usual type of weather in your part of the world.  Is the dominant weather in your area bright and sunny or dark and rainy you fit solar panels on your home, they only create electricity while the sun is shining on them.  As a result you have to use batteries to store power in order for it to be available at night and during overcast days.

Here’s where going off-grid can be expensive.  You’ll have to buy and maintain the number of large DC (direct current) batteries needed to store one to three days worth of electricity for cloudy days.  You’ll need plenty of storage space for all of those batteries, and you’ll have to plan for the expense of replacing them periodically.

Going Off-Grid Does Save You Money on Bills: See How!

It’s also a good idea to have a backup generator just in case you have an extended stretch of overcast weather that depletes your battery supply.  Your generator will need fuel, so you’ll have to store that, too. Usually generators are powered by 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, yes, it is possible to go “off grid”, but it’s not an easy or cheap project.

For the majority, it’s more practical to consider “net metering”.  Determine whether this is offered by your local electric utility company. Net metering is a great way to reduce your electricity costs, and still have power available at night and during long spells of gray, cloudy weather.  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 enough sunlight, you simply use electricity supplied by your local power company. You won’t need to store stacks of DC batteries in your basement or garage. 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 Freedom of Going Off-Grid for Domestic Electricity

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 basement, and your part of world gets little sun, “net metering” will probably be your best bet.

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